


Frenemies

by IreneClaire



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Amnesia Steve, Angst, Bromance, Comfort/Angst, Gen, Hurt Danny "Danno" Williams, Hurt Steve McGarrett, Hurt/Comfort, Temporary Amnesia, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-12
Updated: 2018-04-07
Packaged: 2019-03-17 03:45:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 34,605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13650756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IreneClaire/pseuds/IreneClaire
Summary: After a surprise attack in his home, a concussed and slightly amnesiac Steve isn't so easy for Danny to manage. Not much plot and even less medical accuracy, but some bromance, whumpage and angsty comfort are on tap! Includes a little of Charlie Williams and Lou Grover.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.  
> I thought I'd be done for awhile with work being so busy and so much to do ... the breakfast bunny evidently had other ideas and tales to spin. The plot is quite loose and medically speaking, probably there are a ton of holes too. I researched nothing and just let the bunny do as it wanted ... I hope you enjoy it regardless!

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Sitting with his knees drawn up to his chest, Danny eyed Steve mistrustfully from the floor. Near the door, with his back against the wall, he would stay where he was for the foreseeable future. It was much safer that way.

"What's the last thing you remember?" He asked. It was hard to enunciate his words clearly and Steve frowned at him. Being walloped not once, but twice in the jaw within the last few hours had done a number on his mouth though. Talking was difficult. Danny swallowed and made a face at the tannic taste. This time he'd bitten his tongue to go along with his swollen lip. There wouldn't be a next time; _next time,_ he'd duck or find some other way to manage his amnesiac, _I can kill anyone with a No.2 pencil,_ ex-SEAL of a partner.

"You okay?" Steve asked from where he sat perched on the edge of his bed.

"Yeah." _No. NO he wasn't ..._ but Danny shrugged as he kept a cautious eye on his friend. He wasn't going to let on to Steve just how badly his head was beginning to throb until Steve got more with the program. That could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.

"You sure?" Steve pressed.

"Sure. Fine," Danny replied. "Just peachy. What's the last thing you remember?"

"I hit you ..." Steve said carefully. "Why ... I mean, I thought ... for a minute ..." His voice trailed off. He scrubbed a hand hard through his head and winced when his fingers connected with the three staples just above his ear. He paused in surprise then, gently tracing the metal and testing the sore area. "Owe ... what the hell happened? I have ... _stitches_? Why am I ... _here_?"

"Staples," Danny corrected him blandly. Again. "Three. Healing nicely, too. No lasting damage. What's the last thing you can remember?" This part was like Groundhog Day every damned time, too. Danny rolled his eyes plaintively towards the ceiling, unable to stop himself from helplessly shaking his head because this whole damned situation had gotten old really fast. But he was beginning to doubt the lasting damage part as he watched his partner's frown deepen even more.

"I hit you," Steve stated stubbornly and Danny sighed, the sound audible between them. "Why?"

 _Yes, Steve had hit him. No, he wouldn't remember why - at least for a few minutes and then, not the whole story. Yes, it hurt and yes ..._ it was stupid of Danny to even have Steve in his house in the first place. But Steve had insisted upon leaving the hospital 72 hours earlier and with no real medical recourse but to allow the man to leave if he so desired, someone had to keep an eye on him. Two doctors had stared meaningfully Danny's way and he'd taken the not-so-subtle hint to keep an eye on their patient. But there had to be a better way than getting slammed in the face with a boulder-sized fist every time Steve half-roused from a sleepy nightmare.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Danny repeated.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" Steve muttered before tossing his free hand in the air. The other was still investigating the outline of the staples and the small patch of missing hair. "I dunno. Swimming? I went for a swim this morning."

"You swim every day you Neanderthal putz," Danny snarked back, his tongue so uncooperative over the last word it sounded as if he had a bad lisp. He dabbed at his sore lip, scowling when his knuckles showed red. "How about this ... what did you eat last?"

Steve started at him blankly for so long, that Danny thought he might not ever get an answer. "Steve? Food?" Danny prompted. "What did you eat last?"

"Ah?" Steve blinked rapidly. Evidently he didn't know and Danny heaved in another aggrieved sigh, one that certainly didn't sound quite so patient anymore. The right answer would have been pizza, something they'd shared in the kitchen with Charlie just a few hours earlier. But he'd been here at least four times in the past and no matter what the doctors had promised, his partner's memory didn't seem to be returning to normal. In fact, based on the colorful array of pretty bruises blossoming so nicely along his jawline, Danny was under the impression that things were actually getting worse.

"Day of the week?" Danny tried. "How about the case ... what did we do last with McNamara?"

"Who? What case?" Steve asked. He blinked again and then scowled, his eyes narrowing in annoyance. "Tuesday. My last day of leave."

Danny's mouth gaped wide open at this pronouncement and he shook his head to the contrary, not knowing what to say. Leave? Where the hell was Steve's head this time?

"It's not Tuesday?" Steve stated sarcastically, misreading Danny's expression entirely. "You're going to say that next, right?"

"No, it's not Tuesday," Danny said more softly than he wanted, but he was duly stunned and not necessarily about the slip of the day. What ... _leave_? Steve had at least always remembered their very last case before the attack which had left him so badly rattled inside his own home. A home that would need to be tidied up from top to bottom once the two of them had the time. With Lou Grover taking the lead, the team was still looking for the perps in fact; and for that very reason, Danny had opted to bring Steve home to his house in the interim. But juggling Charlie, Grace and his confused partner was fast becoming far too complex.

Danny rubbed both hands over his face feeling every bit as exhausted as when he'd found his partner covered in blood out on his own lanai. A ransacked house could be fixed, but concussed and amnesiac would take time and quite possibly better skills than Danny had at his own personal disposal. Especially if Steve was now throwing them a new curve ball. Despite doctors' predictions and faith that familiar surrounds would do their patient good in reviving his short term memory, things were definitely getting worse. Not better. He would need to call the hospital if this continued and Danny stopped his mental wanderings right there because this _was_ a major blip and he did need to call Steve's doctor to at least discuss it.

"You know what ...," Danny said as he struggled to his feet.  He was worried and would make that phone call, but he was sure things would be all right. Though it hadn't quite been this severe before, they'd been down a similar path and Steve had come back to himself fairly quickly. That black hole about what might have happened at his house would likely still exist, but the current episode would pass and they'd pick up again with the usual retinue of confused questions and answers. Fully believing that would happen even if he did call the doctor for advice, Danny didn't see the dark look which briefly clouded Steve's eyes as he too stood up.

"Never mind. You slept pretty damned long for the most part so why don't you just shower. I'll make you something to eat. Check on Char..."

He intended to walk by Steve at that point. Go down the hall, make sure Charlie was still riding his bike in the breezeway and then call the hospital while Steve showered. He got as far trying to express that when Steve's fist connected with the side of his jaw. Light exploded and his world went dark almost simultaneously. Danny never knew when his knees buckled and his head hit the floor with a resounding smack.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: thank you for the warm reviews! I might not have too much time to respond to each of you, but I'll try.

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Steve glowered down at the small blond man. He had no idea where he was and had no time to figure it out. If it was a ploy, it was a damned good one and Steve stepped over the prone figure with every intention of getting back to the base. As he looked through the windows of the house, he recognized bits of home. The bright sun, the swaying palms. Once he confirmed his exact location, he could make it back to his ship in no time at all.

He snorted in derision when he walked through the kitchen, craning his neck just enough to see the fancy black Camaro under the awning of the breezeway. The blond had a nice ride at least and he'd only be borrowing it until he got within walking distance of Hickam. With any luck, he'd bypass the brig and just need a once over by the doc in the infirmary. Scowling at that thought, Steve thumbed the space between his eyes where a tiny but ruthless band had taken up residence. His head throbbed. He felt sick. He had no idea what had happened to give him such an injury or even where. He'd never be able to explain a damned thing. Avoiding even the infirmary might be a good idea. He didn't feel well at all though and making matters worse, Steve had no idea how anyone could have had the time to shave that patch of hair and even suture the cut on his scalp. Something niggled at him - a distant memory - a feeling that he should know. Maybe that he should even know the unconscious man he'd left on the bedroom. But his ability to concentrate refused to cooperate as that band increased its cadence behind his eyes. The headache he woke with was bad, yet it wasn't anything he couldn't shake off. At least for a little while. And he did that quickly when he spied the Camaro's car keys on the kitchen table. Scooping the fob up, Steve was out the kitchen door in two long strides. He wobbled for a split second in the brightness of the day, working hard to push back an unexpected surge of nausea. For a minute, he was so disoriented that he couldn't even catch his bearings. Sweat broke out along his face and he coughed back the bitter taste of bile. He wasn't drunk, he was sure of that ... maybe drugs then?

Steve pulled a face at that strong possibility.  _Drugs_? Who then ... and why?

He gently traced the sore skin near the three staples. All he knew was that he'd been attacked; the truth of that was more than evident and the throbbing in his head was preventing him from logical thought because there were major flaws in everything he was hypothesizing. If was the blond who'd managed any of this, he'd do better to cart the man along with him and deal with his own pride later. Then again ... why bother? He was already free of him and the house, both easily identifiable. Even the car could be traced. He paused as something else teased rudely at his misfiring senses. Doubts about how he'd handled the short altercation flared and yet, even as he felt a strong urge to return to the man's side, Steve argued each one. He needed to stay his course.

Steve stopped long enough to focus on his surroundings, taking in the pleasant neighborhood. The street was calm, the houses pristine. Other than his own presence there, nothing seemed out of place and he sensed no danger. There was no one outside to stop him from leaving. Utterly confused when all his musings came up woefully short, Steve sighed; none of what was happening made any sense at all.

 _God, just what the hell had happened to him?_  He couldn't recall having a leave as bad as that one time with .. _. in fact, where the hell was Freddie?_  Steve was going to have his friend's ass if this was all one big joke ... a joke that had left him with a ... cute  _blond_? Oh hell no! Steve chuffed a harsh sound through his nose half in amusement; if this was  _Freddie's_  doing, it was a damned good ...

"Uncle Steve!"

The young voice which interrupted his thoughts was as bright as the sun which was blinding him and Steve grunted in alarm as a small body careened wildly into his legs, arms tightly wrapped around his hips. "Hi Uncle Steve!"

Steve looked down into the face of the waif of the boy who had suddenly trapped him.  _Uncle Steve?_

"What?" He blurted stupidly as he tried to tug the kid away from him. "Hey ... let go." Instead, the boy was giggling as he practically climbed his way up Steve's legs. Bare toes dug into his knee and then his thigh, sure to leave bruises behind. Before Steve could react, the kid was tangled in his arms like a monkey and practically nose to nose with him.

"Hey listen kiddo ...," Steve said, stunned when the boy pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I - I gotta go ... "

"But Uncle Steve you promised." The kid's eyes were blue and honest. His expression a mix of excitement and pending disappointment. His hair was damp from sweaty play and his face flushed from heat. Steve surprised himself by thinking that the kid had had enough of playing in the hot sun.

"Promised  _what_? A-and ...I'm not your Uncle," Steve replied thickly. That band inside his head was now double-timing it; the nausea flared. Feeling sicker than ever before, he tried to untangle the boy from his arms. "And listen, I have to go now."

The boy momentarily lost his smile and even Steve sensed that the words he'd just stumbled over felt very wrong on his own tongue. He waffled on what to do as he stared back into the kid's face, an odd feeling of tenderness making him swallow hard. Baffled by his feelings, he ran an aimless circle over the kid's back with his fingertips. The t-shirt he was wearing was sticky, clammy. The kid needed to go in the house ... cool off ... get a drink.

_But why the hell would he even care?_

"You still don't feel good?" The boy asked carefully. "Uncle Steve? Are you sick?"

"What? No, I feel fine ...and," Steve breathed out in confusion as weird doubts started to creep in. All of his words felt wrong and he winced as a spike of pain shot through his skull. His vision blurred for an instant and he nearly lost his balance. When his eyesight sharpened again, the little boy was looking directly into his face, his expression full of uncertainty.

"Uncle Steve?" The voice was small, quiet and Steve felt a pang of guilt which almost floored him.

"N-no. W-what did I just say to you? Go i-inside ..." Steve stuttered badly, unsure of what to do as the child stared far too trustingly into his face. Little fingers tore into his shirt as big blue eyes welled with tears. Steve coughed, wincing through another flux of pain. He was losing his focus and he really needed to get rid of the kid. "You ... you need to go inside now. Enough play ... it's hot and ... and uh, besides ...I'm not your Uncle ..."

"But...Uncle Steve ...," the boy began to object immediately, his lip beginning to tremble. "But ..." The child's next inhale was breathy, ending in a hitch, a foreboding of what was to come. The smile had fallen from his face entirely now and much to Steve's dismay, a tear broke free to roll down the boy's reddened cheek. Barely a second later, another followed that one. Hand shaking, Steve automatically thumbed the moisture away.

"Put him down."

The strident voice came from over his shoulder and Steve literally lurched in surprise, nearly dropping the boy. "Steve? Put him down."

Steve turned towards the house, his back now to the black Camaro. The blond man was there, hovering between the doorway and the breezeway, his eyes a blue which matched those of the teary-eyed child Steve was holding. What he saw now though made Steve's heart inexplicably twist in pain. Hands out-stretched, fingers splayed wide, the man's fear was palpable as he dared take a step or two closer.

"Just ... please ... put him down. All right?"

For the briefest moment, Steve felt a surge of anger replace that flux of internal heartache because  _this_? This wasn't his fault and he wasn't going to hurt anyone. Least of all, he'd never hurt a  _kid_. The blond must have sensed it too - but for all the wrong reasons - because the look of sheer panic which flickered across his bruised face was stunning in its intensity.

"Steve ... please," the man whispered. His words were slurred around a lip which was bloodied and by the swelling spreading across his jawline. Another bruise marred his temple where his head must have connected with floor. "I don't care where you go ... take the damned car if you want. Just put him down. We'll get it all sorted out later."

"Danno?" Steve shifted the child in his arms unconsciously when the boy sobbed out, his hand still on autopilot as it rubbed a soothing circle on the kid's back. He was crying nearly silent tears now, the only other sound that of each shuddering inhale and exhale. He was frightened and uncertain, likely more than just a tiny bit scared by the blood marring his father's ... because the blond man was the boy's  _father_  ... face.

Steve winced when he bent down and that knife-like pain slashed through the center of his head. "Get down ... let go," he whispered to the boy who finally released his shirt long enough for Steve to set him on his feet.

"Charlie," the man said, his hand out as he beckoned his son to his side. "Come to me, okay? Everything's okay."

Steve nodded as the boy finally left him, a sad parting glance aimed his way. Suddenly everything around him felt wrong. The sun was too bright, the air far too hot and humid. He could barely breathe. Steve grimaced as his knees began to shake. He was holding it together just long enough to have placed the boy on his feet and to make sure that he'd made it safely to his father's side. After that though? Steve staggered heavily before falling to a knee with a loud grunt. The car keys slipped from his fingers when his hands flailed, finding nothing to lay purchase on.

There was a flash of blue sky, the white fluff of clouds as the world did up-end him right then and there. It tossed him up and heaved him right over.

"Steve!"

Steve moaned as he hit the macadam, his head thudding hard against the pavement. He heard the garbled shouts of his name and felt a warm, steady hand on his arm, strong fingers curved under his aching head to lift it off the hot surface.

"Steve? Steve ... can you hear me? What's wrong ... can you tell me what's wrong? Steve!"

He looked up into the blond's terrified face and something snapped inside hard enough for each broken piece to finally fall into place. _Uncle Steve._   _Charlie_. Thoughts of the base, leave and Freddie melted away as if they'd never even existed. Ghostly memories that were stale and false evaporated and Steve's mouth gaped open in confusion because he knew then.  _Danno. There had been a case ... he'd been attacked ... Danny was trying to help him. Take care of him._

"Come on, stay with me," Danny begged him. "Just ... take it easy ... everything's going to be okay."

"Danny?" He heaved in a breath of air, searching now for Danny's hand.

There was the sketchiest of smiles as some, but not all of the fear, left his partner's face. "Yeah. You with me again, buddy?"

"Think so ... w'at happened?," Steve whispered as he clung to Danny, their fingers twined together, confused and scared because he  _knew_. He just didn't know why or how ... breathing hard through the pain, Steve dug his fingers into his partner's hand in a vain attempt to combat the debilitating agony inside his head.

"Hang on all right?" Danny said anxiously. "Ambulance is on the way ... and you're going to be okay. You hear me?"

"Danny?" Steve whispered again and again. "Danny ...?" He blinked wildly as his vision fluctuated and fractured into shards of gray and blacks. He could barely make out his partner's face now through a hazy blur. "D'nny ... ?" He didn't know what he wanted to say and then, it hardly mattered. He was losing the fight to stay conscious, his only lingering connection to reality was the feel of his hand wrapped within Danny's equally unrelenting grip as his eyes simply closed.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. Never have, never will!!! No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> So okay yeah - the muse is a tad derailed since this was written as a 3-chapter story. So let's go with four (or five) shall we?

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Danny was on his knees as he bathed Charlie in the tub. They were nearly done and things had quieted down. At least on the outside. Inside, Danny was slowly imploding. But for Charlie, the warm water and predictability of a simple bath had done wonders.

"You're okay," Danny whispered as his son breathed out a particularly loud hiccup. "We're almost done and then we can see what Kamekona's brought you to eat."

He was thankful that none of his stress was showing on the outside. Charlie had finally calmed down even if he still had that sometimes aching hitch stuck inside his chest, a side effect of what had built up over time. He'd been teary about his Uncle Steve's odd behavior, his worry growing at the sight of his father's bruised face. He had been at the cusp of coping with all of that when Steve had simply collapsed. Things had then changed in a heartbeat and Danny had had two pending disasters on his hands with no time at all to be even slightly relieved that Steve had returned to himself, albeit far too briefly and from much too far away.

"I hope he calls soon," Danny muttered worriedly under his breath as his thoughts slid sideways to Steve. " Come on, Lou. It's been hours." He closed his eyes for a moment, wracked with sadness, one hand steady on Charlie's elbow. Almost three hours had gone and Lou had only managed to send one short text. Nothing since. Nothing at all and Danny was slowly feeling as if everything was about to spin out of control.

"Danno?" Charlie's voice brought him back to center and Danny quickly opened his eyes. Charlie was staring at him, his look solemn.

"Yeah?" He asked as he snapped the drain open, signaling an end to the boy's bath. "What's up, buddy?"

"Are you going to see Uncle Steve?"

Danny hesitated. This was a loaded question and he wasn't sure how to answer - he wasn't sure of the answer. Charlie had managed well enough until the ambulance had arrived. Then everything had gone to the proverbial hell in a hand-basket because Danny simply hadn't been able to calm his son down. And that had meant he'd had to let Steve be taken away alone. His only recourse, to call Lou Grover with a demand that Lou meet the ambulance en route and stay with Steve - run interference with his doctors and explain the worsening of these frightening blips - at least until Danny could get there. _If_ he could get there.

Because if Danny had been upset about the situation from rousing to a confused stupor on his own spare bedroom's floor, jaw aching, to finding his more than confused partner holding his son outside the house, Charlie had been ten times worse. Uncertainty had morphed into fear with Steve's collapse and the subsequent arrival of the noisy ambulance.

Minutes later, he'd become over-wrought about not being able to go with his Uncle Steve to the hospital. It had taken Danny what seemed like hours to regain some calmer space with the six-year old. During that time and with a lot of inventive distractions, Danny had finally coaxed his son down to a more manageable level, ending with a soothing bath of tepid water. No longer over-heated, Danny was still at work though because he was now tasked with dealing with an over-tired six year old, which was still just as tricky.

"I'd like to go see him," Danny admitted carefully. "But I need to know if you're going to be okay if I leave you here with Kamekona. What do you think, buddy?"

He paused, head cocked to the side, measuring Charlie's complexion and state. Waiting to see if Charlie would have issue with him leaving the house. Overall, his son was definitely quieter and his core temperature was finally down. Nonetheless, the remnants of his crying jag were still there, evident by that bubbly, watery hitch.

"Uncle Steve doesn't feel good." Charlie's voice was raspy, hoarse from crying. The two of them made for an interesting pair because Danny could hear himself slurring his speech, not only from the earlier busted lip, but also as a result of Steve's perfect five-knuckled connection to his chin. It would take days before the inside of Danny's mouth didn't feel as sore as the outside of his face.

"No." Shaking his head, Danny sighed deeply as he draped a plush yellow towel over his son's shoulders and got to his feet. Towel and all, he picked Charlie up out of the tub to dry him off before dressing him in a lightweight t-shirt and pair of shorts. Even though Charlie was exhausted and sure to fall into a dead sleep by the time he curled up on the sofa to watch his favorite cartoons, Danny didn't dare tempt another meltdown by opting for a pair of pajamas. First things first ... he had to make sure that he could really leave Charlie with a strong enough semblance of confidence after he'd gotten so, so scared.

"No, no he doesn't feel good at all," Danny added as he finger-combed Charlie's hair into less of a tousled mess. Even if Steve might be terribly ill and Danny remained clueless as to why, he would be as truthful as possible. "You're better though, huh?" He grinned when Charlie murmured a soft affirmative, a tiny smile peeking through.

"That's good," Danny whispered as he kissed Charlie's damp forehead. "Really good, buddy. Good job ... you were way too upset and got way too hot. Let's go see Kame, okay?"

"Okay. But Danno? Uncle Steve ... he's real sick. And ... and he's alone ... at the hospital," Charlie said and Danny chuffed an appreciative sound deep in his throat. Charlie might be only six, but he was still thinking about what he'd asked him. Plus, his son's own experiences in the hospital had left an indelible mark; something else which Danny could understand. No matter what had happened with Steve - no matter how confused Steve had been before - no matter what he might have _said_ \- Charlie had already and most incredibly forgiven him and moved on. Now, just like it was with Danny, Charlie was only worried about his Uncle Steve and the fact that he might be alone. Alone ... and in the hospital. A sometimes scary place.

"The doctors are helping him and Uncle Lou is there, so he's not alone," Danny reminded him. "And I don't have to go ... if you don't want me to."

Danny looked into Charlie's face, trying to read the expression he saw there. He would stay if Charlie needed him. Of course he would; no doubt there even if he might be anxious to be in two places at once. He _wanted_ to stay with Charlie and was simultaneously desperate to get to the hospital.

"Charlie?" Danny asked softly. He shook his head then, thinking to himself, quickly weighing pros and cons when the boy stayed quiet. He had to stay home and making the decision because Lou was at the hospital made it all the more easier for the time-being; he could make it work.

"I'm going to stay with you ... "

But Charlie reached up for Danny's hand and tugged him down closer. "Uncle Steve's _sick_."

His hiccups were quieting and his eyes sparkled tiredly. He was just as solemn as he was before and Danny half-smiled, ignoring the painful pull on his bruises. Confused for a moment by Charlie's serious expression and what he was trying to say because the tone of the statement was different.

"Uncle Steve's _really_ sick, Danno," Charlie repeated meaningfully and Danny's doubts evaporated one by one. His Uncle Lou was important, but it wasn't enough for him either.

"Are you sure, bud?" He was surprised by the little boy's nod and the new realization of what Charlie meant. Charlie had truly made up his own mind and was fine with it. And that? That was startling to Danny in a very big way.

"Come here," Danny murmured as he knelt on one knee to scoop Charlie into a hug. "You can call me at any time and I'll come right home, okay?" he whispered, completely appeased when his son's arms tightened around his neck. His own tears were threatening then because Charlie was still a bit scared. He could sense that too as he placed a kiss on top of Charlie's head. He was still a little bit uncertain and maybe even afraid, but Charlie needed him to check on his Uncle Steve just as much as Danny had to go, too.

**~ to be continued ~**


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> medical caveats apply - super slim chance much is accurate - though I did look up symptoms and treatment options. (a teenie bit). Thanks to JazzieG and Phoebe for some helpful sharing of ideas.

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Steve moaned in distress well before he opened his eyes. His first conscious awareness was more feeling than thought and what he felt certainly wasn't good. Eyes welded shut, he raised his hand to his head to see if there might be a reason for the thickly thudding ache. His fingers shakily traced the small bare patch and then the outline of the staples and he grimaced. Bits and pieces of stale images flitted quickly through his mind but they stayed long enough this time to make an impression.

 _His morning swim._ A tempestuous morning when most would have stayed away from the water with the waves higher than normal and ... bad weather on its way in. _There had been reports of a fast moving storm_ … and,

... Steve remembered liking the challenge of it. He remembered how he'd enjoyed the odd one-off sensation of the colder swells and hard tug of the rougher tide. He remembered how he'd tackled the stormy waters head-on for a short but invigorating swim.

Steve made an odd sound deep in throat and forced his eyes opened, squinting up at the ceiling. He shouldn't remember that. Should he?

"Shit," he mumbled to himself as he closed his eyes again, brow furrowed this time in thought. His headache worsened as he pushed harder to recapture the images, forcing them to find their rightful places inside his memory where they needed to fit and make sense. Little by little a few things began to form a bigger picture. He _had_ gone for a swim and the morning had been an iffy one with on and off showers. High winds and rough surf had been forecasted due to a hefty storm warning. Red flags had been put up. Beaches had been closed off ... except for those expert locals who lived for such days; Steve included it seemed.

But Danny? Steve now remembered that Danny had been pissed off about his decision and Steve _remembered_ ... what? Mocking his partner? Had that really happened, too?

_Laughing at Danny and then ... blowing him off entirely?_

No ... but, yes. _Yes_ he'd done that. Steve rubbed his forehead harder, his sense of confusion weirdly growing as some of the images solidified into tangible memories. Danny had bitched at him for even considering to go swimming on such a morning. That had happened and then ... the Camille brothers. They'd been lying in wait for him back at the house on McNamara's orders. All of that had really happened. Steve's hand froze, his fingers splayed limply over his forehead, half covering his eyes.

_The Camille brothers! He remembered._

Steve's eyes flew open wide as memories tumbled back in at a near-paralyzing rate. The Camille brothers had done a number on him when they'd surprised him in his house after his morning swim. Still early - just after dawn - Steve hadn't even considered that McNamara, the cheap two-bit hood they'd picked up that week on weapons charges could levy such a hit ... _no, no ... it was more than that._ He tried to bring the reason back, but failed. It didn't matter. Regardless of the reason, McNamara had a further reach than they'd been aware of and set the Camille brothers to work in retribution with Steve as the primary target. By some bit of sheer luck, McNamara had managed to engage the Camille brothers to act on his behalf. And, _damn_ , they'd gotten much too close as evidenced by the bloody dent made in Steve's skull. The only reason he was still alive was that the brothers had acted too quickly and their panicked hit and run was more luck than skill.

Maybe they'd suprised themselves too. It hardly mattered now though since Steve _remembered_ and someone needed to know.

"Danny?" Steve called out at the same time he realized he wasn't at Danny's place or even his own house. He was in the _hospital_ and hadn't a clue as to how this particular change in his circumstances had been orchestrated. Suddenly McNamara and the brothers didn't matter. Steve blinked in utter confusion, his mind numbing in reaction to where he found himself. _Hospital_? Just what the hell had happened this time?

He paused and willed an answer to come and an image flickered. A feeling toyed with him but nothing would stick and he was seized by a sense of unease.

"Danny?" He tried to call out louder, worried now.

Despite the drill buzzing inside his head, Steve shoved the blankets off his body and swung his legs off the bed. The spontaneous move was a bad one. Within just those few seconds, Steve was breathing too hard and fighting a strong surge of nausea which almost won out. That ache threatened to become a spike through his skull and that was enough to make Steve give due pause. He panted through his mouth as the floor tilted ominously beneath his bare feet; a blackish glimmer of spiraling lights dimming his peripheral vision.

But he needed to know. Woozy and off balance, Steve fought himself to his feet anyway, hanging on to the bed for support. A wire got in his way, tangled around his wrist and mired in his hospital gown. Unthinking, he yanked it off his body, wincing at the shrill sound of the resultant alarm. The small splint around one finger was next, tossed to the floor. Distracted and disoriented, Steve still kept trying because if nothing more, he was now sensing a very disturbing feeling of wrongness. Something that included Danny and Charlie.

"Danno?" He breathed heavily, panting more through his mouth, his voice hardly projecting. He'd done something. Had he done something?

 _Charlie?_ Steve briefly closed his eyes vainly trying to recall the reason behind these new disturbing things he was feeling. Something bad had happened to him at Danny's house ... something which had involved Danny. His son ... it was the reason why he found himself in a hospital room, wearing regulation hospital garb and an admittance bracelet. Whatever had happened, had gone down at Danny's place and that bad feeling suddenly morphed into fear.

He'd done something and it was why he was alone.

"Danny ...," Steve muttered more loudly. Confusion and a growing worry forced him on. His legs finally cooperated even if he had to hold one hand to his head as if his fingers might prove to be an adequate brace against the deep ache. He needed answers and was sure - hoping now - that Danny wouldn't be too far away. And if not Danny, then someone on the medical staff.

All of those thoughts and worries tumbled relentlessly though his mind. They seemed to hit him at once and with a start, Steve realized that he wasn't walking anymore. His legs were too heavy. He was breathing hard again and the alarm he'd set off was making him even more nauseous. He'd only made it to the foot of the hospital bed and it was as if his entire body had simply seized up on him. He tried to walk and his knees simply refused to lock. He was sliding down when he heard a curse and a dark shadow fell over his face. He didn't even react when he felt the large hand on his arm, another wrap around his bicep, both holding him up as his legs began to slide out from under him. He scarcely registered that the loud squeal of whatever machine he'd disconnected himself from had stopped its piercing wail.

"Steve, what in the ever-lovin' hell of things do you think you're doing?" Lou spouted at him as he squinted up into the larger man's face. "Can't leave you alone for a minute can we?" Exasperation and amusement were etched across Lou's face as he slid an arm behind Steve's back to practically lift him off his feet. Feeling as weak as a kitten, head pounding to that horrible discordant band, Steve could only helplessly clutch at Lou's arms as he was deposited firmly back in bed.

"Lou?" Steve asked as a nurse descended on him fixing blankets, leads and the pulse oximeter he'd managed to disengage himself from.

"Yeah, it's me and you're damned lucky those wires weren't attached to anything … more," Lou said. "You know ... delicate." His tone fairly dripped with sarcasm as he pointed to the lower half of Steve's body.

Steve made a face, weak as it was, knowing it fell woefully short of communicating his own brief flare of annoyance at being thwarted. First by his body and now by his friend. In reality, he had no idea where he had been going per se. He only knew _who_ he wanted to see and then ... what he needed to know; neither of which pertained to his own personal well-being. Despite the drill inside his head, Steve opened his mouth with every intention of demanding to know where Danny was and what had happened to land him back in the hospital until Lou raised his finger high. As if on automatic pilot, Steve slammed his mouth shut.

" _N'uh, uh, uh!_ You just sit there and let these nice people take care of you," Lou demanded as the nurse finished tucking Steve back in right where he'd started. Arms now folded, Lou stood to his full height, his entire demeanor firm and unrelenting. Steve wondered briefly if the elder man was ever this intimidating to his own kids.

 _Yeah_ , Steve thought to himself as Lou Grover managed to pull himself up even taller. _He sure did_ as that index finger came out from hiding to be brandished squarely in his face. No one could be this good at intimidation tactics without years of practice.

"Lou ...," Steve tried and got nowhere as Lou raised a dangerous eyebrow. His mouth closed again as that finger loomed closer and Lou shook his head before he stated the worst possible thing.

"You scared our boy half to death."

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended - EVER! 
> 
> Medical caveats STILL apply - more thanks to JazzieG and Phoebe for continuing to discuss helpful ideas. Super duper long chapter since I saw no obvious breaks here ... there was so much to talk about! So, put your feet up and grab a cookie. I hope it delivers!

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Elbows propped on his knees, Danny sat quietly hunched over outside the ICU waiting for the okay to see Steve after multiple doctors had been consulted on his case. Lou had brought him up to speed; then the doctors had kindly done the same as Steve's medical proxy. Danny knew of all the options now, he just didn't quite yet know the course of action. The doctors were only agreeing on one thing: the attack in Steve's home had resulted in a very slow growing subdural hematoma. As could happen and as it did happen in Steve's case, there hadn't been any noticeable symptoms for almost five full days. According to one doctor, what had happened was not necessarily out of the ordinary since the acceptable window was actually up to two weeks after the bleeding might start.

 _Out of the ordinary_ was up for translation and _noticeable_ was in the eye of the beholder. Or in Danny's case, the noticeable evidence was layered colorfully across his face. Steve had been inconsistent since insisting he could - and would - leave the hospital so many days earlier.

Evidently, this could happen - hell, it _had_ happened, hadn't it? Nothing about it was _acceptable_ at all.

Danny scowled to himself. The doctors were likely still having their animated discussion about the best next step for Steve's care. The argument ran from the mundane of watching and waiting, to aspiration of the bleed which sounded great to Danny until the actual procedure had been described to him in vivid detail. Boring a hole into his partner's skull to reach the area with a needle or some kind of suction wasn't exactly what he'd expected to hear. His brain had slightly turned off at that point and he'd missed some particulars. Even now, no matter the actual method, the mere though of a _drilled hole_ made his stomach churn. Danny was at a point where all wanted to do was put his fist through the closest wall and he would have, he was just too damned exhausted. Besides, he didn't need to make his hand hurt as much as his face.

 _A hole_. Danny swallowed hard, cringing inside as he imagined the worst prognosis. Something called a burr hole. It sounded ... it _sounded_ just like some bad joke from a high school shop class with handy drills. Danny cursed quietly under his breath at all the things which had gone so very wrong. He was still fearful of what had happened and what might happen yet. Everything was out of his hands until the doctors ran their tests ad nauseum and reached an eventual agreement on their best course of action, until then, Danny was forced to wait.

That conversation had occurred hours ago. It had been so long since he'd last seen a doctor or a nurse, Danny didn't even bother looking up anymore when he heard the undertone of voices or the sound of an approaching footstep. He'd untrained himself from reacting by resigning himself to waiting. So immured in tuning out everything around him, he didn't even acknowledge Lou Grover's arrival until the man's large shape dwarfed him.

"What?" Danny jolted to attention and then scowled darkly, slumping back down when he recognized Lou. "Oh. It's you."

"It's so very nice to see you too," Lou drawled sarcastically. "Anything?"

"Nope," Danny said as he went back to staring blindly at his fingers.

"You need anything?"

"Nope," Danny repeated dully. He was depressed and his headache had reached migraine proportions. He stared harder at his fingers until they blurred against the backdrop of the floor, willing his head to stop hurting. Then again, he had no right to ask that of himself because Steve's had to hurt even more.

"Pardon me for saying, but you look like crap, Danny. How about something to eat? Coffee?" Lou's tone said he begged anything but being apologetic. To prove that, he flipped on a dime, his words now more a demand. "Take a break, Danny. It's been hours and you need to step away ... you're not going to be good for anyone like this."

Danny stayed quiet as he glowered down through his fingers at the white tiled floor because Lou wasn't about to let up on him and Danny had no intention of budging an inch to appease the man. In fact right then, he resented talking and Lou's very presence, but then he chastised himself. He needed someone there and Lou was probably the best person to have around even if he did insist on trying to draw Danny out of his sullen state. Everything about himself validated every single one of Lou's observations. He was tired and stressed; his head throbbed and he probably looked as bad as Lou felt so inclined to tell him. He did need to get up, stretch his legs and take a break. He was on the cusp of admitting that when he shook his head. He should have done than over an hour ago when he _could have_ taken the chance at having a private moment to collect his thoughts and freshen up. Now though? It was too late. Suppose someone came looking for him as soon as he walked away?

"Story's not going to change, Lou," Danny forced himself to speak, his tone not unkind but nevertheless determined to put an end to the pestering. "So, thank you. But you might as well just give it up."

Finally. Thankfully. Lou remained silent as he sat down in the space next to Danny, taking up the rest of the length of the bench. They sat there together until Danny made a face while staring blindly down at the floor. Lou might be minding his tongue but he was merely biding his time for Danny to say something ... anything at all. A toe tapped. Then Lou fidgeted just enough for his shoulder to brush against Danny's. The bench creaked under the man's weight and that toe tapped again. Reverse psychology at its finest and Danny heaved out a loud sigh; his cause was lost.

"He knew you know," Danny stated softly while still staring at the floor. "He remembered me at the end ... he remembered where he was, I'm sure of it. But the episode ... it was bad, Lou. They'd been getting worse and he talked me out of calling the doctors once or twice. Then one time, I talked myself out of it figuring I was over-reacting. But this? This was entirely different. He didn't know me ... or Charlie ... he thought he was _somewhere_ else. He mentioned being on leave ... can you believe that? After that, I was going to call while he got cleaned up. Talk to the doctors and fill them in ... ask them what could be wrong. But, I didn't have the chance."

"Danny ..." Lou's tone was almost severe. "He's going to be fine."

"No, he could have died, Lou," Danny said, his voice on the rise before it inexplicably fell to barely above a murmur. "And you didn't _see_ him ... you didn't see him with Charlie."

"No, I didn't - but he'd never hurt that boy. And he didn't," Lou replied completely misunderstanding Danny's concern. "He didn't ... and he won't ... and he's going to be just fine now."

"I didn't say he was _going_ to hurt Charlie!" Danny spat out, his anger suddenly flaring hot enough for him to glare Lou's way. That wasn't what he'd meant at all. He felt no remorse as Lou held up both hands in apology and he barged on angrily. "It's that Charlie was upset ... and I didn't expect to find them together ... to see that Steve didn't _know_ him! Yeah, I got ... scared all right! I didn't know what was going to happen. And then ... _Steve_? God, Lou! The whole thing was messed up but I know that Steve wouldn't ...he _didn't_ ..."

"Excuse me. Detective Williams?"

"Yes!" Startled, Danny stumbled to his feet, recognizing Steve's doctor. Flustered by his spike in anger, he quickly tried to rein himself in and only wound up stammering. "Yeah, yeah. Okay. What is it? Is he all right? What's the verdict?"

The doctor - Doctor Montgomery, Danny recalled the man's name - paused, his brow furrowed as he measured Danny from top to bottom. "Are you all right, Detective?"

"I'm fine," Danny said. He squared his shoulders and took another deep breath, meeting Montgomery's astute eyes. "Perfectly fine ... so what's up with Steve? What's going on?"

"All right," Montgomery murmured thoughtfully. His expression said that he didn't believe Danny at all, but he recovered quickly enough to continue speaking. "I think we have some good news for you and I'll cut to the chase: he's doing well, Detective. He's actually doing quite well and still resting - in fact, much more quietly now, too."

"That's good news," Danny said, utterly relieved by the initial update. He noticed though that Montgomery wasn't done though and he paused, his smile faltering. "What else is going on? You have more? Surgery ... he needs surgery doesn't he ..."

"Actually and after consulting at length, we've decided to table the decision to aspirate the bleed. At least for the time being. As a team, we've agreed to watch and wait ... monitor things and evaluate his condition, ongoing, for the next few days. We can always re-assess. But as of right now, there's no immediate need to aspirate."

"What?" Danny knew he sounded utterly ridiculous and for a long moment, he even felt dizzy as he absorbed what the doctor was saying. _No surgery_ ... sure, Steve had to stay for a day or two. Maybe even more. But - _no surgery_ \- this was startlingly good news and he sat back down on the bench with a thump.

"No surgery?" He muttered in relief. "So what do we do then? What does watching him mean?"

"The goal here is to keep his intra-cranial pressure down - manage the inflammation, "Montgomery explained. "Dispense pain meds and anti-emetics as needed. Monitor his blood pressure and other vitals to make sure he's on an even keel. We'll continue to evaluate his condition through additional scans. And anything we see that's cause for concern? Well then at that time, we'll determine if he does need surgery. We feel the best method right now is the least invasive way though."

"That's the best news you could give us, Doc," Lou said heartily, his hand planted firmly on Danny's shoulder. "When can we see him?"

"What about his memory though?" Danny interrupted. "What's the prognosis there ... did he say anything?"

"Honestly, I'm not entirely certain," Montgomery admitted. "He's roused a bit and answered a few simple questions. But he still seemed out of it before falling asleep again; it was difficult to judge his level of cognition or what he might have remembered since the collapse. But this is all to be expected; he needs rest to heal, Detective. And as for seeing him ... it's 3 o'clock in the morning, but if you keep it on the down-low and don't overstay, you're welcome to do that now."

"Good," Lou interrupted the doctor. He turned towards Danny and bent over at the waist to catch his eye. When Danny looked up at him, Lou gave him a stern shake. "Five minutes ... take five. Come on man, take a deep breath and clean yourself up."

Danny nodded still feeling struck dumb. For some reason he couldn't get to his feet again though. With the news came an enormous shock wave of exhaustion and an emotional backlash which he didn't expect. He almost laughed out loud when he realized his hands were shaking.

"Lou? Go check on him?" Danny said as a knee began to jig uncontrollably. It was ridiculous really, but he couldn't stop shaking. "Please." He scrubbed a hand roughly through his hair in a vain attempt to hide the tremors and wanted to kick himself when his voice cracked. He was finally feeling what Lou had been complaining about time and again - just when had he become so damned tired? "I'll be right there ... you're right. I need five - I need to take a minute or two."

"Good man," Lou softly stated. "There's a public lavatory right around the corner ... freshen up, Danny. Maybe grab a coffee." He squeezed Danny's shoulder as he covertly helped Danny get to his feet. "I told you he'd be all right. Take your time; he's not going anywhere."

For no reason at all, Danny nodded again without even looking at either Lou or Montgomery. He should have apologized to Lou, but even that intention evaporated as he started to walk. He found the public restroom around the corner as Lou had described and then was relieved to find that it was more of a large unisex space affording him some privacy. He locked the door, relieved he'd be undisturbed at least for a few minutes to instantly run the water and wash his face, splashing away the heat from the day, uncaring that water dripped down his neck to soak the front of his shirt. But then, he got a good look at himself in the mirror.

"Wow," Danny breathed out in surprise. Lou hadn't been kidding and he understood Montgomery's equal concern. It was rather amazing that Doctor Montgomery hadn't come down on him even harder to be admitted as a patient, or at least he be run through some machine or another, too. Danny was surprised to see that his eyes were glassy and red-rimmed from fatigue. The latest bruise was spectacular as it trace a swollen line from his jaw upwards towards his cheek. A careful investigation of the inside of his mouth confirmed a corresponding and very painful gouge on his tongue and inner cheek. Then there was the mark on his temple from when he'd fallen to the floor. With the yellowing bruises from his previous encounters with his confused partner, Danny really did look as if he'd been in a brawl.

He huffed a deep sound in his throat. _He was fine_ ; nothing actually mattered as long as Montgomery was right about Steve's prognosis. Taking advantage of Lou's generosity, Danny stayed by himself braced against the sink, eyes closed, long enough for his hands to stop shaking. For the thick feeling in the pit of his stomach to ease. There was nothing to do about his headache, but he stayed long enough to rally his energy reserves. With one last cold dunking, he decided that he felt lightyears better than before. Once again, Lou had been right and he was much more relaxed as he made his way back to the ICU.

_"Lou ..."_

Danny grinned in the hallway when he heard Steve's voice just as he reached the room. Steve wasn't sleeping anymore and he sounded ... _good_. He sounded normal and if he knew Lou, then Steve would know him ... and he'd know Charlie, too. However, Danny rolled his eyes when he heard Lou's baritone interruption.

 _"You scared our boy half to death."_ There was a short lull, then Steve spoke again.

_"Lou? Where is he ... where's Danny?"_

"I'm right here," Danny announced as he made himself stroll calmly into the hospital room. The lights were dim to compliment the late hour and Danny took immediate relief in the lack of glare. "And, to set things straight? No, he didn't. It's been seven long, long years and there's nothing this guy can do at this point to scare me."

"Yeah? You're kidding right?" Lou dripped sarcasm as he snorted through his nose. "Because, that's not what you just said ..."

"Shut up, Lou," Danny interrupted Lou's words quickly, ignoring the man's incredulous chortle. He shouldered Lou aside, his eyes only on Steve's face, reading, gauging and measuring Steve's expression closely. He saw the heavy lines thick across Steve's brow which spelled the ongoing pain from a headache. He also recognized the clarity in his partner's eyes though and more of his own tension eased a bit more.

"Hey," Danny said warmly. "You look good ... you look better. How do you feel?"

"You wouldn't be asking him that so nicely if you knew where I'd found him," Lou noted wryly. "Do you know what this guy tried..?"

"Shut up, Lou!" Steve cut him off just as quickly as Danny had. He blinked then, staring hard at him, the relieved smile he first had at Danny's arrival now slowly dwindling away.

 _"Shut up Lou!?_ Again!?" Lou burst out in surprise, looking from one to the other. "Me?! What is it with the two of you?"

Danny ignored him since Steve's initial smile was completely gone. The way he was staring at Danny was unnerving to say the least. "Steve?" He hesitated by the bedside while Lou threw his hands up in the air on the opposite side of the room, muttering dramatically under his breath about the rudeness of the two of them.

"What's wrong?" Danny asked, on edge all over again. "Steve? What's wrong?"

"Your face," Steve remarked bluntly. He looked from Danny to Lou, then back again. The smile was definitely gone and he actually seemed shaken as he pointed towards Danny's the bruises. "Danny ... what happened? What the hell happened to your face? And ... Charlie ...Danny, did I do anything?"

"No, you didn't and everything's all right," Danny soothed automatically as he sat down on the edge of the bed. He shrugged helplessly as Steve reached up to touch his chin, insistent upon Danny moving his head just enough to catch more of the swelling in the low light.

"I hit you," Steve stated just as bluntly as every single time before and Danny's heart plummeted. "In fact, it looks like I hit you a few times." They were going to revisit this same tired dance all over again.

"Steve ... I'm fine," Danny repeated as he watched some of the color drain from his friend's face. He knew what he looked like but he was getting tired of discussing how he felt; this was about Steve, not him.

"I'm perfectly fine and so is Charlie. Hey! You need to stay down," he added quickly as Steve's breathing increased and the man tried to sit up more in the bed. Steve's legs moved and for a minute, Danny thought he might actually try to get up and then he remembered what Lou had just said and scowled. Danny glanced Lou's way and saw the man's folded arms and stern expression. Their eyes met and Lou pursed his lips. The action was enough to confirm that Steve had done this before and based on Lou's stance, Danny knew exactly when.

"Hey, where are you going? What are you doing - the doctors want you to stay in bed!" Danny was shocked by the revelation. "Are you kidding me right now? You got out of _bed_?!" He just about hissed the words out.

"I _hit_ you," Steve argued as Danny firmly pushed him to recline back into the pillows. He palmed his forehead, wincing because he'd moved too fast. "Why the hell did I hit you? That one looks fresh ... it just happened. What the hell's going on?"

"Stay there and it's no big deal, Steve ... _calm down_ before Montgomery comes in and kicks us out," Danny whispered sternly around a semi-defeated sigh as part of the questioning tumbled down a far too similar rabbit hole, the only difference now that his son was part of the mix. More was different though. Even as he watched his friend's face, Danny realized that Steve was more aware and more centered, despite the volume of worry and the discomfort. This was better. This was actually good. Good as long as Steve remained on that even-keel.

As Danny waited for him to settle, Steve inhaled deeply, evidently arguing his emotions, demanding answers. His next word was hardly surprising. "Charlie? Tell me."

Danny made a face, not really knowing what to say. He wanted to keep Steve quiet like Montgomery had cautioned, but he also knew that Steve would hash out the truth until he got an answer he believed in. If their places were switched, Danny would be acting precisely the same way. If not worse and he muttered disgustedly under his breath; he was stuck.

"He wants his Uncle Steve," Danny began carefully because that was an undeniable truth and something Steve instantly accepted. "He's with Kamekona while I'm here worrying about your sorry, ass." He tried to lighten the mood and deflect just a bit, but Steve immediately objected.

"No," Steve said as he plucked at Danny's wrist. "From the beginning ... that bruise is new ... and I'm here _now_. I remember being at your place and that means Charlie was there. I know ... I _know_ something happened. So, you tell me _everything_ Danno."

Helpless to argue, Danny nodded in agreement. His partner remembered much more than ever before, but Danny still needed to mind his words in telling him everything from start to finish. Especially the painful fact that Charle's _Uncle Steve_ hadn't known him.

"All right," Danny muttered hoarsely. "You were good until you woke from a long nap after lunch ... we'd had pizza, do you remember that?" He was mollified when Steve nodded that he did because that was another good new learning. "Good. Well, you didn't when you first woke up and then I forgot to duck ... twice." He chuffed a rueful laugh and kept going when Steve practically glared at him in warning.

"You knocked me clean on my ass. You said something about being on leave and that's all I can remember ... until I found you outside with Charlie."

Danny grimaced as Steve's face turn completely ashen. "Stop. Did you not hear me - you putz - that Charlie only wants his Uncle Steve? If you want me to tell you what happened, Steve, you have to listen to what I'm saying to you. You can't afford to get worked up or Montgomery is really going to put an end to this visit ... you're here for a reason, all right?"

"Yeah, yeah," Steve whispered obediently. "Okay ... go on. I'm listening."

"Good. Okay. You'd taken my car keys and you were holding Charlie outside by the car and he was ... upset," Danny was forced to admit. Steve was hanging on to his every word and it took a minute for Danny to continue because this was the hard part. "You didn't know him ... he was a little scared about that, but he's fine now."

He paused as the hold on his wrist tightened. Steve was suddenly angry with himself as he quickly reasoned out what must have happened in the grander scheme of things. He jumped in with a series of personal accusations before Danny had a chance to ward off any of them.

"So? I scared you, too, didn't I?" Steve pressed for more, clearly putting two and two together to voice his own assumptions which were distressingly right on the money. "I thought I was on leave ... still on duty ... still enlisted and took you out because I didn't recognize you or remember where I was ... and then I _told_ Charlie I wasn't his uncle when I ran into him outside. Is that right, Danno? Then what? You came outside and I was holding Charlie ... like Lou said, I scared the crap out of you, too. Am I right?"

"Yeah, maybe just a tiny bit," Danny muttered unhappily. "Really small." He made a space between his thumb and forefinger to emphasize just how little he'd been worried. The sneer on Steve's face though proved his disbelief about that and Danny moaned softly under his breath. _Yeah_ , so he'd been a bit more scared than just a tiny bit. Steve knew him way too well.

"You're full of it, Danno. This is Charlie we're talking about," Steve hissed, trying to stay as quiet as Danny. "Then what?"

"Then _nothing_! Listen to me, we're good and Charlie might have thought you were kidding at first, but then ... he got scared. He didn't understand. You put him down and that was that," Danny stated as firmly as he could. He was barely remembering to keep his voice down when a nurse poked her head through the door to shush their animated conversation.

 _Quiet ... they needed to stay calm ... be more quiet_ and Danny sucked in a sharp breath over his teeth. "Afterwards, when you collapsed, you scared the crap out of the _both_ of us. Charlie? Sure he was scared. Can you blame him? It took me a long time to calm him down while you were getting checked out here. But I swear to God, he's fine, Steve and all he wants is for you to get well ... come home ... and take him to the docks to see the big ships like you promised."

" _Scared_? He was terrified, Danno. And if I didn't _know_ him at the time, then ten to one, I _told_ him that I wasn't his Uncle Steve and that was why he was so upset in the first place," Steve mused sadly, stuck on rewind. He released Danny's wrist long enough to scrub hard at his face, his eyes now looking dark and glassy. "I can't believe that I did this to you and to Charlie ... I let him down ... and I scared him. He's just a little guy and ..."

"Steve? Charlie's all right," Danny insisted. "Look at me." He leaned forward and put his hand on his friend's forearm to make absolutely sure that Steve was listening to him. "He's already over it and he just wants you to come home. I need you to believe me. _Please_."

Stubborn to the end, Steve glanced away from Danny to stare in askance towards Lou, silently demanding the older man to validate everything Danny had just said. In reply, Lou merely shrugged, the gesture simple but more than enough to confirm all of it, adding credence when he put his hands on his hips.

"Okay," Steve muttered under his breath as he finally gave in and he sank limply back against the pillows. "All right."

"Steve? I ... _uh_ .. really hate to ask, but what's the last thing you really do remember?" Danny found himself voicing the ongoing question of the year, cringing inside when he heard Lou's soft objection. Now wasn't the time to get back into things and Danny briefly closed his eyes. He should have let it all go until the next day; besides, there was no reason in the world for him to get a different answer at 3 o'clock in the morning.

There was a long moment of silence which followed. A painful period which was so long, that Danny had to squint his eyes open, ready to apologize because he should have let sleeping smooth dogs lie. He nearly laughed at himself for the ridiculous play on words because he was only overtired and stressed. Nevertheless, Danny couldn't help snorting softly through his nose since it was kind of funny.  However,  he was ready to duck and cover in case he was reading things wrong because his face ached enough - _thank you very much_ \- and he was on the verge of needing to borrow some of Steve's pain meds.

 _'Yeah'._ He might have made a huge mistake because he'd gotten Steve's attention and his friend was now staring at him, almost angrily. _'Yeah, okay.'_ Danny eased himself to his feet, absolutely ready to increase some of the distance between them this time.

"Steve?" Danny said quietly. "Never mind. It's okay if you don't ..."

"McNamara," Steve spat the name out most unexpectedly. He reached out for Danny's wrist, tugging him firmly back down. His eyes skated over the bruises marring Danny's face and his anger seemed to increase in spades. Danny winced, wondering how he was going to get his hand free as Steve's left hand became a fist, yet marveling over Steve's use of their felon's name.

"McNamara? Our last case. What about him, Steve?" Danny pressed, nervous but hopeful about a gaining a small win. "What do you remember?" He gave a tiny twist of his trapped wrist all the while watching Steve's clenched fingers on his opposite hand. It was a coy attempt at breaking free. A useless one though as Steve's grip remained unyielding.

" _McNamara_ ... he hired the Camille brothers that day ... they were the ones, Danno," Steve ground out, his teeth clenched. "The Camille brothers ... they were in my house. They were the ones that did this so McNamara has more connections than we first knew."

Danny stared at his partner experiencing a moment of utter disbelief, his wrist still mired in a bone-breaking grip. He barely felt it now though. Steve really did remember and the truth was liberating.

"The Camille brothers,' Danny quoted with a happy grin. He turned to Lou looking triumphant, smug even. "He remembers! And Montgomery is going to _love_ this!" His exhaustion melted away with the resulting tingle of adrenalin and his headache was already forgotten as he covered Steve's hand with his own. This was much more than a small win and Danny smiled only to laugh outright at his partner's next question.

"Danny?" Steve asked. "Who the hell is Montgomery?"

Danny snorted comically though his nose while he clasped Steve's hand firmly between his own. He couldn't stop chuckling as he sat back down on the bed, his grin lopsided due to the bruised swelling on his chin. He was pleased when Steve finally began to smile again, too. While behind him, standing by the window, Lou was on his cell phone already acting on the intel.

_Oh, hell. Heads were going to roll now!_

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	6. Chapter 6

.

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Feeling re-energized, Danny went directly home after Steve shared that revelation. The Camille brothers were idiots, but dangerous enough mostly because no one ever would have expected them to be involved. McNamara was either brilliant for enlisting them for that very reason or simply had accidentally found two imbeciles who'd gotten stupidly lucky.

Danny didn't quite care which of the reasons might pan out in the end. Steve was right about one thing: even in jail, McNamara's reach was deeper than they'd assumed. He also had some kind of funding whether it be his own or someone else's. Mulling over the scenarios, Danny drove home to check on Charlie and ask Kamekona to extend his current favor. After, he would grab a change of clothes and go into the office. By then, they'd likely have some intel on where the Camille brothers might be hiding out and Lou would have rallied some of the troops for him.

The next steps were easy enough. Any alerts gone lax had been raised again. Though it wasn't likely, Lou would stay on at the hospital with Steve just in case McNamara or the Camille brothers had some other attack in mind against Steve. Danny would focus on the intel garnered and work on bringing Joseph and Henry Camille in come hell or high water.

"Hey," Danny stage-whispered as he opened his front door. "Everything okay?" Kamekona was sitting straight up on the couch, lights low and the TV flickering mindlessly in the background. Though he looked as if he might be sound asleep, one eye opened.

"Keiki got up once for a glass of water ... asked if you were home yet ...," Kamekona said as he opened both eyes and stretched, his large body splayed long across the couch. "Went back to sleep ... no fuss. Howz-it with McGarrett? Does he need that, you know ... to have that _hole_ drilled?""

"Not too bad considering everything. Doc wants to keep him a few days ... surgery's on hold," Danny said, smiling as Kame grinned happily at the good news. He glanced towards the bedroom end of the house, anxious to check in on his son, especially if he'd been asking for him. Still, Danny took the few minutes to fill Kame in on what would be going on next.

"Steve came through. He remembered who attacked him and we've got one hell of a break ... the Camille brothers. You know them?"

"Those _lolos_?" Kamekona snorted sarcastically though his nose while nodding vigourously. "Those two are no good ... So _dem_ the ones who did this to McGarrett?"

"They did ... presumably on McNamara's orders," Danny confirmed. He was inordinately pleased when he sensed Kamekona's own level of annoyance rising. The big Hawaiian rarely got truly angry, so he'd take duly miffed as the man's temperature gauge. Kamekona was most definitely annoyed in all the right ways.

"So, uh, Kame? Can you hang out here a bit longer? I'm not for sure how long ... but I'd really appreciate it. If you could keep an eye on Charlie ... just a little longer?"

"A bit, bruddah. A bit for sure. No worries," Kamkeona agreed easily. "My cuz can handle the truck for a day; might be good for business if yours truly," and Kamekona pointed to his own face with a smile. "...misses a day ... hearts grow fonder you know. I'se a bit of a celebrity in my own right."

Danny grinned and then burst out laughing, only to quickly stifle the sound in case he accidentally woke Charlie.

"Thanks, big guy," he said. "I'm going to grab a change of clothes, check in on him and cut out ... Lou should have some intel on these two idiots by the time I get into the office."

Kamekona nodded, but his own cell phone was in his hands. He was tapping crazily at it in agreement. "Me too," Kame said. "Cocount wire, brah. I got this."

"Fantastic. The more the merrier." Danny smirked as he left the room, tip-toeing first to his son's bedroom to quietly poke his head in. He was still thinking about the Camille brothers and how they wouldn't know what hit them when he reached the doorway. Nonetheless, he forgot all about the brothers when Charlie's eyes met his own. The boy was wide awake and staring at him.

"Whoa, hey! Why are you up? Go back to sleep," Danny whispered as he sat on the edge of the bed and tucked the blankets up to Charlie's chin. "It's barely dawn and Uncle Steve is doing so so good."

When Charlie stayed quiet for a long long time, Danny's original good mood began to dissolve. The boy was just staring at him and with a start, Danny realized that he was examining the bruises left along Danny's chin and disappearing into his hairline. Maybe things weren't as good as he'd thought with Charlie and just maybe he was still scared and much too worried about Steve.

"I promise Uncle Steve is okay," Danny said. "He had a really bad headache and he's feeling so much better now. What's the matter, huh?"

Charlie shrugged, his eyes unexpectedly welling with tears.

"What if something bad happens, Danno? With those ... _brothers_ ," Charlie whispered and Danny blinked in surprise, reaching out now to gather his son into his arms.

"You heard all that?!" Danny exclaimed when Charlie insisted on looking into his face. His feelings of triumph completely evaporated as a tear rolled down Charlie's cheek. He suddenly felt extremely tired as another tear glistened in the dim light. How could he have been so stupid thinking that things were perfectly all right? And how could he be so oblivious to just think it was over Steve? Charlie was worried about him, too.

"Ah, buddy! It's okay ... I'm sorry." He crooned over and over as he cuddled Charlie into his chest. Obviously Charlie'd been up for awhile and he'd heard the quiet conversation between himself and Kamekona. He could have been sneaking partly down the hallway to listen in on the adults and gotten scared then. Danny made a knowing sound deep in his throat as he rocked his son and tried to soothe all of these new tears away. Certainly, Charlie was worried about Steve, but now he was worried about his father.

"What if something bad happens to you, too? Something really bad ... " Somehow, someway, Charlie had heard him talking to Kamekona and now his voice was raspy again as those tears began to fall in earnest. This very question was one of Danny's worst fears and, except for Steve knowing about it, the most private Danny held about his kids - for his kids - and not being there for them. Hearing it expressed out loud by his own young son, Danny nearly lost the ability to speak. His mouth flapped open as his brain failed him.

"Me? No, no, no. Nothing's going to happen to me, buddy," Danny finally soothed him softly. His internal voice berated him though. That voice of doubt and caution threatened to take over because, _what if he was lying_? But Danny shoved that bad voice to the side as he rubbed Charlie's back and kissed his head. He wouldn't let those doubts take hold. Something bad simply wouldn't happen because Danny wouldn't allow it to happen.

"I've got a bunch of back-up - like a whole entire army of good guys. With Auntie Kono, Uncle Chin ... even Kamekona is gonna get some big old Hawaiian guys to _sit_ right on top of them. What do you think of that, _huh_?" Danny was only slightly relieved when Charlie made a soft giggling sound. Sobered now, Danny was pulling at straws and he knew it as Charlie wrapped his arms around him to burrow in even deeper. He couldn't really say anything that would be the perfect balm, and yet, he had to keep trying.

"No matter what, I'm going to be okay and we're going to arrest these two bad guys who hurt your Uncle Steve."

"Promise?" Charlie rasped into his chest. With a tear-sized lump stuck inside his own throat and effectively gagging him from speaking, Danny could only nod and hug his son even closer.

 

**H5O* H5O**

"No, this isn't going to happen," Danny ground out, his teeth were clenched and he couldn't ever recall being this angry. He was nose to nose with Joseph Camille, ignoring the stinging pain in his bicep and the blood running persistently down his arm to drip off the bend of his elbow. He'd made a promise and he was damned well going to keep it. Behind him, two HPD officers flanked his six, guns drawn and ready to assist should he need it.

"You're under arrest. For attempted murder of my partner ... we'll start there. I'm sure we can fill in the rest ... plus, ten to one, your boss is going to be none too happy with you, is he?"

Danny leered into Joseph Camille's face. He and his brother, Henry, had tried to kill his partner and Danny's rage started with that. It had boiled over when a bullet had unexpectedly torn through the thin wire screen door just after he'd announced his presence with a substantial amount of back-up. The round had cut a deep furrow in Danny's bicep and Danny had retaliated the very best way he knew how. There was no hesitation; none whatsoever because his team had been very well prepared. Within a matter of seconds, the small house had been breached fore and aft, and the Camille brothers were in hand with only a modicum of violence.

He'd promised his son he'd come home in one whole piece, and he aimed to make good on that vow. He'd also intended to keep every single one of his own people safe, too, and that one bullet was the only one fired during the take-down. Overall, Danny was pleased by the outcome and if anyone had to take a bullet, why not him because none of his own people had been injured or worse. Both felons were in hand. Nonetheless, Danny was feeling fickle and having a bloody gouge torn out of his arm had not been in his cards. So now, Danny practically growled as he slammed Joseph Camille backwards into the kitchen wall. He clenched his gloved fingers more tightly into the man's neck and pushed backwards for good measure.

"You done now?" Danny purred dangerously, a perverse side of himself wishing the man wasn't done because this just felt so good on a base level. He nearly laughed out loud as the ghost of Steve's voice echoed through his head. Maybe Neanderthal tendencies were like ... _cooties_? He'd have to watch out for that ... maybe ask Charlie for advice? _Nah_ ... Danny laughed then, startling Joseph Camille for no good reason.

"Yeah? Or, no? Is it no?" He pressed on and Camille's eyes sparkled with a newfound sense of fear as his head connected with the cabinet for a third time. He yelped in pain and tried to get away from Danny again, but was handily kept precisely where the 5-0 detective wanted him by a nasty fist to his solar plexus. As he gurgled loudly, the air audibly leaving his lungs, Danny assisted Joseph's downwards spiral with a foot hooked to an ankle and a firm hand to the scruff of Joseph's neck.

"Get down ... do it!" Danny demanded as Camille hit the floor hard on his stomach. In the other room, the shabby excuse for a bedroom, his brother Henry was being equally restrained. No matter the adrenalin surging through his system, Danny felt a distinct feeling of satisfaction tempered by relief as he heard the distant sounds of struggle dying down. Only the shouted demands continued on for a few minutes longer as Chin Ho and his small contingent brought their man under their control.

It hadn't been exactly clockwork since some blood had been spilled, but things had come together in the end. Kamekona's confirmation of where the two brothers had been hiding out had been a boon affording them an element of surprise and Danny was almost gleeful as Joseph Camille had third thoughts about giving up his fight.

" _N'uh, uh, uh!_ What did I just say to you? Are you a little bit stupid, or what?" Without thinking, Danny took a fistful of black hair only to smash Joseph's face once into the tiled floor. " _Where_ are you going?"

There was a thick thud and a moan of pain and Danny grimaced as a thin stripe of blood smeared the old linoleum. This thing with McNamara was over for good and if he and the brothers didn't know better about messing with 5-0, they all sure as hell knew that now.

"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed to you by the court ...," Danny quoted the man's Rights by rote as he levered his knee into the back of Joseph's neck. He drilled his fingers into the man's neck as one of the HPD officers leaned in to cuff both wrists.

"Get him out of here," Danny said as he used Joseph's body as a brace to get up, his knee the last thing to leave the apex of the man's neck and back. He shrugged when one of the HPD officers pointed to his arm. He barely felt it and he would be going to the hospital to personally inform his partner of their success.

Instead, Danny mockingly lifted his eyebrows as the felon was manhandled around. A walnut sized lump was already growing on Camille's temple. His eyes weren't quite tracking and blood was slowly trickling from the side of his nose or it could have been from Camille's upper lip. Danny wasn't sure and frankly, with more important people to take care of, he couldn't have cared less.

_**~ to be continued. ~** _


	7. Chapter 7

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

While rummaging through the trunk of his Camaro for the med-kit, Danny kept a circumspect eye on the goings on around him as Henry Camille was placed in an HPD unit and Joseph was carted away in an ambulance with Chin riding shotgun as part of the man's official detail. Lou had instructed the teams in a diligent manner, leaving him nothing more to do than validate the standing orders.

Danny smirked as the ambulance slowly departed the scene, another HPD unit bringing up the rear. McNamara was in lockdown at Halawa Correctional Facility and the Camille brothers might as well have been for the amount of manpower Lou had organized. As Danny re-focused on himself to unpack a few supplies from the med-kit, he knew that he could have insisted that the EMT's cater to his arm first, but he just lacked the wherewithal to bother. In fact, his energy was waning at a rather alarming rate. Now, he just wanted to be done with all of it; he needed to reassure himself that Steve was well on the mend and he needed to prove to Charlie that both he and his Uncle Steve were absolutely okay because all the bad guys were under lock and key for good.

It only took Danny a few seconds to find the gauze and bandages he needed to quickly doctor his arm. At least that was what he intended to do. He hissed as he picked at the saturated material of his shirt before opting to shrug out of it. The crease was deeper than he first thought and he had to peel the ruined sleeve off the wound. He realized that he was going to need a third hand to wrap the damned thing. Virtually cross-eyed by the effort, he tentatively prodded the deepest edges, trying to figure out the best way to stem the flow of blood. He groaned tiredly though when his arm blurred under his very eyes. Frustration mounting, Danny gave up entirely when his hands began to feel numb and his vision dimmed. Little sparkles of light danced on his periphery and he stopped to lean on the rim of the trunk, eyes closing as a feeling of light-headedness made him reel. Suddenly he was beyond exhausted by just about everything happening around him and he needed a good, long minute to just try and center himself.

"Sir?" The voice startled him and Danny juddered clear down to his feet as he forced his eyes back open. He stared blankly into the face of an HPD officer whom he didn't know, the young man's facial features not quite sharp enough, his voice not quite clear enough.

"Yeah?" Danny asked. His own voice sounded as distant as the officer's and he frowned as he tried harder to focus. "What?"

"Do you need help with that ... or another ambulance? There's an awful lot of blood ...," the officer started to say and then stopped, a queer look on his face. "Sir? Are you all right?"

"It's just a scratch," Danny interrupted. "I'm fine ... I, _uh_ ..." He stopped talking mid-sentence though, suddenly unsure of what he had wanted to say. His hand flailed aimlessly through the air as he struggled to find words ... any words at all ... and failed.

"Sir? Maybe you should sit down?"

The officer's voice tunneled and Danny shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs, absolutely bewildered by his body's sudden betrayal. _No, he didn't want to sit_ ; he was perfectly fine. But why couldn't he find the words inside his head because he didn't want to sit ... he wanted ... _what_?

"N-nno," he mumbled. "I, uhh...?"

_'What had he been going to say?'_

At a loss, Danny shakily palmed the sweat from his face. He'd forgotten in an instant. Whatever thoughts he'd had inside his head simply fled him as the officer's face blurred even more. The man's features blended and then disappeared within an odd shimmering flash of light. A moment later, Danny knew nothing at all. Once again, he didn't even register the moment when his legs gave out. This time though, at least someone was there to catch his fall.

 

**H5O* H5O**

 

"You scared the living be-jeezus out of our boy," Lou Grover remarked for the hundredth time. By then, Steve knew the tone well and winced. Still not quite sure what had precisely happened since he'd roused a bit out of sorts and needed for Lou to once again fill in a few mental blips. He did know that Lou was right about one thing: he'd scared his partner beyond all reason. Steve thumbed the space between his eyes. His headache was a persistent enemy and even though the gaps in his memory were growing shorter and less complicated, he still felt completely out of control. In fact, he was beginning to feel helplessly stupid.

"Where is he?" Steve asked. "Have you heard from him... has he checked in yet? Shouldn't all of this with the Camilles have been wrapped up by now? It's been too damned long."

"You know these things take time," Lou said. "And ... even with Kamekona's intel, they need to be careful ... and you know Danny better than anybody. He's not going to do anything hasty."

Worried despite the truth of Lou's words, Steve picked aimlessly at the material of the bed's plain cotton sheet, refusing to meet Lou's eyes. Steve had dozed on and off after Danny had left the hospital so much earlier that day, waking with only Lou by his side.

 _Lou_. _Not Danny._

And that was all right except that he'd had to be reminded of the reason a few times. Doubts percolated now about having confessed remembering that it was the Camille brothers who'd attacked him. Doubts which were making him itch inside with a level of anxiety his doctors were sure to disapprove of. He didn't do _idle_ well. But idle and bed-ridden whilst trapped inside the confines of a hospital? With a partner out on the streets - alone? This was a thousand times worse than merely being idle.

"Steve? You okay?" He finally glanced up to meet Lou's eyes and failed at returning his friend's smile. "He's personally taking care of bringing in and booking the Camille brothers. He'll be here soon... as soon as it's over, Steve. You can count on that."

"Can I?" Steve whispered more to himself than to Lou because, though Lou meant well, he didn't like what his friend had just said and he finally just voiced it. "I don't like it, Lou. I don't like it at all and I should've known that he'd go out there alone. I should have kept my damned mouth shut because Danny is out there right now!"

"What? _Alone_?" Lou scoffed. Highly offended by Steve's remark, he crossed his arms over his chest. "If the tables were turned, are you going to tell me you wouldn't do precisely what your partner is doing right now? Besides, I rallied half the damn department to back your boy up. _Alone_?! Danny doesn't have to do more than show up and read those idiots their Rights. It's more backup than you'd have pulled together for yourself and you know it! And then, who would be yelling at who, huh?"

"Yeah, well ...," Steve griped unhappily. "Still ..."

" _Still_ nothing! You know I'm right!" Lou objected as a finger was shoved practically under Steve's nose, refusing to take Steve's bait. "And stop your belly-achin'! Montgomery is going to kick all our asses if you have some God-awful relapse! Hell! Forget _him_ ... Danny'll have _mine_ if I let you get out of hand!"

Unwilling to let the slight go, Lou snorted dramatically through his nose again as he got to his feet, his bulk now looming over Steve's bedridden body. " _Alone_ ... what do you take me for?" He waved his hand Steve's way about to say something else condescending when his cell phone chimed. He growled under his breath at the interruption, all for Steve's benefit while he answered the call without checking the caller ID.

"Grover," he announced and then was stone-cold silent for a few minutes. "Well that's damned good news ...what the hell took so long? Where's Detective Williams now then ...?"

Steve frowned unhappily as Lou turned to face the window, a distant look already in his eyes. Apparently the call was about the Camille brothers, but it wasn't Danny who was personally providing the update to Lou and that seemed a bit strange to Steve. His frown deepened into an impatient scowl as an odd feeling began to settle in his gut. Something was wrong ... something was wrong and that _something_ pertained to his partner.

"What? What did you just say?" Lou blurted out. His tone was suddenly wracked with alarm. "What!"

"Lou?" Steve felt his stomach clench as Lou rotated back on his heel to face the bed. Hearing only half the conversation with none of it helpful at all, Steve was on edge, his own eyes widening worriedly as Lou stared back at him. His head throbbed uncomfortably, almost in warning and Steve groaned as he pawed at his face. This wasn't good and he struggled to control his rising emotions, but he needed to know as Lou's tone became more severe.

"Where?" Lou asked. "How bad ... are they bringing him here?"

The questions Lou was asking were disturbing enough but based upon the man's expression, each of Steve's own fears were being painfully answered one by one. He didn't need to hear _who_ this was about to know that the conversation was indeed about Danny. He didn't need all the dead air filled in to intuitively know that it was Danny who had been injured in the altercation with the Camille brothers.

"Danny ... _shit_. What?" Steve demanded loudly. He pinched the bridge of his nose, willing the damned pounding in his head to cease. "I knew it! God dammit, Lou! What's happened ... what's wrong?"

"Hey ... now you just listen to me and calm down, all right. He's on his way in," Lou said in a normal tone. But his face told so much more and Steve shook his head because Lou was honestly stunned. As Steve looked on, the hand holding the cell phone dropped limply to Lou's side as he thumbed the end button.

"He's on his way here ... he was ...," Lou shook his head in disbelief. "Danny was injured during the take-down. They said it was just a flesh wound - a crease - and he seemed fine. Perfectly fine! But then ... then, he just collapsed at the scene."

_**~ to be continued. ~** _


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: thanks to all the awesome comments and encouragement. And to Phoebe of course!

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

"Lou ...I need to get down there," Steve's voice was authoritative as he swung his legs off the side of the bed. He stood tall, immediately battling the threat of a debilitating headache, staggering a bit, his hand on the mattress for balance. Lou was by his side in an instant, urging him to sit back down and berating him for moving at all.

"What do you think you're doing?" Lou ground out, teeth clenched. He wrapped his hands around Steve's biceps and all but pushed him onto the bed. "Sit down! Of all the stupid ...McGarrett! _Sit_!"

"Then get me a chair," Steve argued through the dizzy spell as he tried to stand a second time, only to have Lou block his way again. "Lou! Come on ...!"

"McGarrett! _Shootz_! Hope you're ready for a little visitor," Kamekona's voice boomed unexpectedly from the doorway, startling both Steve and Lou. "And eats! I've got just the thing to put some meat back on your bones."

Steve froze in his tracks, finally allowing Lou's brute strength to win out. But even Lou was cursing under his breath when the big Hawaiian came into the room. Bags of food in one hand and Charlie's hand in the other, his sheer size blocked the light from the hallway. Completely stunned, Steve stared first at Kamekona before meeting Charlie's eyes. The boy was shy, unsure and practically hiding behind the Hawaiian's legs.

" _Charlie_ ...," Steve choked out softly. He scrubbed his hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose and trying now to get a new shock to his system under control. This wasn't a good time. First Danny and now this? He wasn't ready for either surprise and he wasn't sure what to do as Kamekona kept right on talking. "Coconut-wire spread the good news about those _lolos_ ," Kame continued on, completely oblivious to the shocked looks shared between Lou and Steve. "Me and the keiki were at the truck checking on business when the news came through...," the man kept talking nonstop, the bags of food beginning to take up all the space on the small raised tray and side table.

The odor of cooked food - shrimp, rice and rich spices - began to fill the room, the smell assaulted Steve, making him feel more nauseous by the second. He raised his hand to rub a sickly circle over his face, aware that Lou was still hanging on to both of his arms, forcing him to stay where he was; that was hardly necessary though. Steve was so stunned by Kamekona's arrival with Charlie that he lacked the energy to budge even an inch.

"We called Danno but had to leave a message," Kamekona said as he pushed bag after bag onto the tables. "I explained to this little man here that his daddy was probably busy ... putting those _lolos_ where they belonged ...but we could swing by to see his Uncle Steve ... put his little mind at ease, if you know what I mean."

"Kamekona ..." Steve swallowed hard, not knowing what else to say. Charlie was halfway behind Kamekona's legs and just staring at him. Usually easy-going and out-spoken, the boy was reticent and far too reserved. Steve sighed as he rubbed his hand helplessly over his face again, at a loss of how to handle this new situation. He'd had every intent of going down to the emergency room and wait for Danny's arrival. Now this? Steve's mind was racing as another emotional hit began to take its toll and his headache increased, thumping painfully away.

"Listen, Kame ...," Steve tried to find a way to explain what was going on, but paused to knuckle his forehead. That all-star band was back inside his head as his stress level increased. _What could he say though?_ Even if he knew what had happened to Danny, he wouldn't have been prepared to see Charlie. But it was Lou who quickly interceded.

"Well, isn't this nice," Lou drawled uncomfortably as he stepped away from Steve to bend down with a friendly smile aimed towards Charlie. "Hey Charlie ... you came to see your Uncle Steve ... this is a really, really wonderful surprise." He stood after Charlie managed to nod in agreement, the boy's ongoing silence not only worrisome to Steve, but also to Lou who then also struggled to find something else to say.

"So. You brought lunch, too," Lou offered as he clapped a hand to Kame's back while pinning him with a hard look. "Yeah ... this sure is _quite_ the surprise."

Lou's stilted conversation and look were telling enough for the Hawaiian to finally cease his prattling. Kame scowled, confused before looking to Steve where he barely caught the sketchy nod Steve aimed his way.

"Somethin' ... ah? Danny ...?" Kamekona sputtered realizing now that something was indeed wrong and that this timing could not have been worse. He glanced worriedly down to Charlie who was still hanging onto his hand while quickly making assumptions about the unanswered call made to the boy's father. Kamekona screwed up his face in discomfort, shifting now from foot to foot.

"Shootz," he muttered under his breath. Now he was looking from Lou to Steve and then back again, fretting and begging direction on what to do about Charlie.

"You know what? I was just going downstairs to, _uh_ , check on a few things," Lou announced as they finally got Kamekona's full attention. He spared Steve a meaningful look before just pointing to the bed and nodding to Charlie. "You stay right there in that bed just like you should while I take care of things. Charlie will make sure you do just that. Won't you Charlie? Can you make sure Uncle Steve stays in bed and gets some lunch?"

"Yes," Charlie murmured softly, still unsure if he dared make a move towards his uncle.

"Steve ...," Lou prompted him. "Charlie ... this is a nice surprise. Dontcha' think? I bet you're very hungry ... and little boys? Well, they can always find a place to stuff some food, can't they?" He aimed yet another a severe look Steve's way, his own meaning quite clear: both Kamekona and Charlie were in the dark about Danny's current situation. No one had enough information and therefore, Lou would handle things and Steve - per doctor's orders - was to stay precisely where he was. Steve's only concern right then was to take care of Danny's son.

Steve's mouth opened but then closed with a snap. Barring the concept of eating, Lou was absolutely right and he nodded.

"Yeah," he stated as he pushed himself off the bed and forced himself to change gears. "Of course ... Charlie. Hey, buddy - I'm so glad you came to see me."

Head thumping with a vengeance, Steve carefully knelt down to be eye-level with the little boy as Lou strode quickly from the room. Steve grimaced unhappily when Charlie didn't move at all. He was clearly very uncertain about Steve because he was still clinging to Kame's hand, his shoulders leaning against the big man's legs as if wanting protection.

"Hey Charlie, " Steve said soothingly. He smiled warmly forcing himself to focus through what was beginning to feel like an epic migraine. Lou would take care of things down in the emergency room. Besides, Danny was probably okay ... and as for Danny? He'd want Steve to be there for Charlie especially - _especially_ if things weren't okay. Danny would need Steve to take care of Charlie with this new unknown hanging over their heads.

 _If Danno was really hurt_ ... Steve closed his eyes for a split second as he dragged in a lungful of air. He would need to shoulder more if Danno was really hurt and to do that, Steve needed to get back to where he should be with his little nephew.

"Go on keiki," Kamekona admonished Charlie by freeing his hand only to cover the boys' head with it. He gave a tiny push in Steve's direction. "Go on ..."

"Come here, buddy," Steve said while he held his arms out wide and beckoned Charlie to come to him, worried beyond all measure when nothing happened. Nothing at all. Charlie's demeanor didn't even change and Steve simply didn't know what to do. Maybe he'd irrevocably broken their bond and his smile faltered. His arms sagged for a moment before he tried one more time.

"Uncle Steve needs a hug, buddy," Steve whispered encouragingly. "Can I get a hug, _huh_? Can I? _Please_?"

And he truly did. As soon as the words left his mouth, he knew that was what he really did need. Steve briefly squeezed his eyes closed in relief as Charlie finally offered him a tiny smile. With that small change in expression, all of Charlie's initial uncertainty miraculously seemed to evaporate and he pushed away from Kamekona. It was so much more than Steve had expected to happen at that point. And though he was desperate for that hug, Steve felt almost unworthy as Charlie finally dove trustingly back into his arms.

"I'm sorry I scared you last time," Steve whispered as he kissed the top of the boy's head. He slowly stood with Charlie in his arms and then edged backwards onto the bed to wind up leaning against the pillows, the boy on his lap and tucked into his chest. "I didn't mean to do that ... I made a bad mistake and I just didn't feel very good."

"It's okay, Uncle Steve," Charlie said as he wrapped his arms around Steve's neck. He grinned, his smile lopsided as he studied Steve's face, suddenly seeming far older than his years. "Danno said you were a little bit sick and mixed up ... but he said you're almost all better now."

"Yeah, I was mixed up. But, well yeah, I'm better now, too ... and so much better now that you came to visit today," Steve choked out when his throat unexpectedly closed up. Charlie grinned, beaming really, and Steve shook his head in awe because Danny had already said the right words and because Charlie's easy going nature was still very much intact.

Wrapping his arms around Danny's son, Steve bowed his forehead to the top of Charlie's head. The little boy's hair tickled his nose, smelling faintly of what was likely some kind of fruity baby shampoo and Steve breathed it all in. He ignored the pounding inside his head to simply focus on where he was and to relax as best as he could.

"Thanks, buddy. I'm glad you came today," Steve whispered because through the simplicity of a hug, Charlie had forgiven him ...and Danny? For some incredible reason, Danny hadn't ever been angry with him at all. He'd never lost his temper - not even once - during this entire debacle.

Steve sniffed a quiet, quizzical sound about that particular truth. Well, maybe Danny'd lost his temper with the Camille brothers. In fact, that was likely going to be a given and could be a justifiable reason behind what Lou might be learning downstairs in the ER. Steve closed his eyes as he cuddled Charlie closer yet, the boy giggling about getting such a big, big hug.

Danny was going to be fine. He had to be. With the ache inside his head subsiding just a little, Steve's breathing calmed while he took comfort in Charlie's company.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	9. Chapter 9

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

"You're not listening. I need to find my _phone_ ," Danny argued. No one seemed to hear him at all though. It had been like that ever since he'd regained consciousness. He was flat out on his back on a gurney and none too happy about where he kept winding up. When he'd woken, with one arm aching and the other boasting an IV, he immediately had gotten up and then quite literally fallen to the floor. He'd landed on his butt in the corner of the emergency room, the IV stretched to its limits and his eyes tearing from lights which seemed so bright, they pierced his retinas. Baffled about his circumstances, he'd been unable to form a cohesive thought, let alone a complete sentence.

By the time his beleaguered mind figured out where he was - if not the why - his inelegant tumble had already been witnessed by an ER nurse and an orderly. They'd descended upon him, each carefully grabbing an arm to help him to his feet, but only to assist him back onto said gurney despite his protests that he was perfectly fine.

"My phone ...", he repeated inanely. He frowned, trying to find the right words because _he_ was important dammit and they just kept right on ignoring him! Frustration mounting, Danny propped himself up on his good arm. The position put him nose to nose with his attending physician and yet, the man still didn't seem to hear him. Either that, or he just didn't care to answer any one of Danny's demands.

"Yeah. Okay. I-I'm with 5-0 ... I shouldn't be here ...," Danny's frown deepened when the doctor finally acknowledged him and yet, merely shook his head to the contrary. It wasn't the reaction Danny'd wanted or expected and he felt obligated to make his point more clear. "No, I _am_ with 5-0".

"I know that, Detective," the doctor chuckled. "Believe me, I know ... but you passed out and we just need to check a few things ... see what's going on."

Okay, so the man had heard him, nevertheless, he was choosing to practically ignore him. _Nothing_ was going on. He was _fine_. Danny didn't understand why the doctor thought he should be in the ER because he'd made a fully rational request to leave. And yet, his circumstances hadn't improved; they'd worsened. Even now, with this undivided attention from the ER doctor, Danny was all but being lashed down to the gurney. Heaving in a deep breath as a nurse gently pushed him back down and then wrapped a blood pressure cuff around his arm, Danny glowered dangerously. He was a 5-0 _officer_ dammit, and he'd been left with only one recourse to entertain at that point.

"I'm getting up now," he stated firmly. "I'm getting up, so you can let go ... take the cuff-thing off." He pinned the doctor with what he knew was a firm, definitive look before delivering his pièce de ré·sis·tance because the man had the gall to actually smile. "Or ... _or_ , I'm going to place you under arrest. Would you like that, _huh_?"

He tightened up, frustrated when his muscles began to shake and the doctor actually bit back a laugh while the blood pressure cuff inflated to take a reading around Danny's un-injured bicep. This time, Danny glared at the nurse. In the doctor's not so infinite wisdom, he also had this same nurse place an oxygen mask over his face, insisting that Danny's vitals were rather compromised. Proven by the mere fact that Danny wasn't make any sense at all.

"Detective, you collapsed and were incoherent," the doctor stated calmly. "I need to take care of your arm. But your real issues are that you're suffering from exhaustion ... dehydration ... I've explained this to you numerous times."

Again Danny disagreed. Vehemently. He wasn't all that tired; he couldn't afford to be because he had things to do.

"No, I had pizza," Danny groused. He remembered that ... local place in town. He'd had it delivered because Charlie got a kick out of _'giving the pizza dude a tip'._

"When was that Detective?" The doctor asked pleasantly as he puttered next to him, getting a few supplies ready to care the deep crease.

"I, _uh_ ...?" Danny paused. He'd had pizza. With Steve and Charlie. Pizza dude had gotten a tip ... so? He scowled to himself as a dizzy spell forced him to lay back on the gurney.

_When had he had eaten that?_

He couldn't remember, but that hardly mattered. It couldn't have been that long ago. It was only that the lights in the ER were too bright and the place was over-run with far too many patients that afternoon. The lights were making his eyes burn, forcing him to squint. It was hectic and loud, contributing exponentially to how badly he was feeling. He just wanted to leave the place and should have been allowed despite the doctor's refusal to the contrary. Was he perfect? Well, no. Danny felt out of sorts, decidedly sick and more dizzy than he'd ever care to admit. He was shaky and his eyes kept closing. All he needed was the damned doctor to wrap up his arm and sign his release papers. In fact, he didn't even need release papers, he could just leave ... refuse care ... but his brain screeched to a halt. What was that called when somebody decided that they didn't want medical attention?

"I'm ... _uh_ , going to leave now," Danny repeated for the umpteenth time as he attempted to get up again. This time, the doctor pushed his shoulders back down, adamant that he stay right where he was.

"No, not yet," the doctor insisted. "We'll get someone here from your department, okay? Will that help?"

Danny wrinkled his nose unhappy about that offer but absolutely more annoyed with himself. _What was the damned word?_ He couldn't remember what to say to make the doctor release him. "I don't need your help. But thanks, Doc. So that's it then ... I'm good to go if you'd just slap a bandaid on that, I'll be on my way ..."

"A bandaid? Detective Williams... please," the doctor huffed out in amusement. "I really need to check you out, Sir. Your initial tests indicate that you're dehydrated ... _hypotensive_ ... "

"Where's my phone?" Danny interrupted, squinting to stare up into the doctor's face. He scowled more when the man's mouth fell open, his eyes widening in surprise. Now what had Danny said that was so damned confusing? The doctor was more of a kid and was far too young to be spouting big words at him, asking ridiculous questions, preventing him from doing what he wanted to do ... _needed_ to do ...let alone telling him _what_ to do. Every single time he'd tried to dislodge the damned oxygen mask for example, the young doctor simply put it back on him.

"This is stupid. How old are you?" Danny said as he pushed harder against the man. His voice was muffled under the mask and hardly projecting, but Danny did his best. "Get the hell off me ...I'm _fine_. What are you five?"

"No. I'm quite old enough, Detective. And, if you were perfectly fine, you wouldn't be this combative or _bleeding_ all over my ER room," the ER doctor insisted far too blandly while adjusting the grip he had on Danny's shoulders. "In fact, you wouldn't have fallen off my gurney in the first place! So, I absolutely need you to _please_ cooperate and just lay here while I check the wound on your arm. Can you tell me how you got some of these bruises on your face? I need you to try and concentrate; try to answer a few questions for me. The sooner that you do, the sooner you can make that phone call. All right?"

"No. Nope" Danny objected. He evaded the doctor's grip to rub his hand over his face, wincing when he connected with the newest bruise on his chin. The one which Steve had graced him with last. Steve? _Huh_? Yeah, that made sense. He needed to call Steve.

"Where's my phone? I need to call my partner ..." Danny insisted. "I need my phone and if you don't leave me the hell alone, I'm placing you under arrest! Now get out of my way, I need to go."

"Detective Williams ... you're not going to get two feet on your own," the doctor chastised him not too unkindly. But then the man grinned and switched gears entirely. Hands high in the air, the doctor released the hold he had on Danny's shoulders and took a step back away from the gurney, suddenly giving Danny all the permission he needed. "Okay! Have at it. We'll do this your way ... where do you want to go?"

"I, _uh_ ... well ... I need to call ...," Stunned that he'd finally gotten his way, Danny stammered and then just frowned. _Who did he want to call again?_ He didn't know; he'd completely forgotten.

"No one because I'm here already," a deep voice intoned from the curtained divider. A moment later, Lou Grover appeared and Danny blinked up into his face, his friend's expression fraught with worry. "Danny ... you scared the crap out of all of us. Are you all right? What's going on?"

"Thank God the cavalry's arrived," the doctor said directly to Lou. "I need your help with him ..."

"Lou," Danny blurted out as he simultaneously yanked the oxygen mask off his face. "M'fine ... I just ... I can't find my phone." He glanced angrily towards the doctor before pointing imperiously at the man. "Arrest him!"

"Arrest him!" Lou raised his eyebrows at the demand, flummoxed. "For what? What'd he do, Danny? Doc?" He looked towards the doctor, easily reading the doctor's patient amusement before calmly sauntering over to the gurney where he appraised Danny from head to toe. "You look like crap, man. Why don't you just relax for a minute and allow me to ask this fine, fine doctor what's going on."

" _Fine_ doctor? He's ... a kid ... and he's completely incompetent," Danny glowered now at Lou, utterly disgusted that now his friend wasn't taking him seriously either. "Lou ...cuff him!"

"No, no. Hold on Danny ..." Lou insisted. He folded his arms across his chest and then stood between Danny and the doctor, effectively blocking Danny's view.

"Whatever he says isn't true," Danny said to Lou's broad back, certainly loud enough though for the doctor to hear, too. Sighing loudly, Danny slumped back to the gurney, his good arm slung loosely over his eyes to block the bright lights, ignoring the awkward bulk of the blood pressure cuff. He swallowed hard, dizzy despite his reclined position. He groaned softly as his wounded arm throbbed dully, just enough for him to notice. He ached all over. Every muscle seemed to be revolting and now, with his arm over his eyes, he lacked the wherewithal to continue fighting his case. Maybe he could just trust Lou to pick up his mantle.

"How is he really, Doc?" Danny faintly heard Lou ask somewhere off to his right. "What's the verdict?"

Danny sighed as Lou's deep baritone droned on overhead, asking questions, fielding the young, annoying doctor's persistent orders. It was dark under his arm and his friend's voice was soothing, steady and familiar. With any luck, Lou would find his phone ... after he arrested the doctor, though. Only then. Or, before? Danny suddenly wasn't sure he cared as a chill ran through his body ... okay, so maybe he didn't feel very well at all. And just maybe, he was a little bit tired, too. Eyes closed, hiding under the faux safety of his arm, Danny began to doze.

"Doctor Mathers?" Lou turned when the nurse interrupted his quiet conversation. "He's out again ... " He glanced down at Danny, his eyes widening as the young doctor whipped off his stethoscope and the nurse gently tucked Danny's arm back down to his side.

"Doc?" Lou asked in alarm. Danny's complexion was ashen, the bruises standing out like colorful beacons, his face now completely lax. "Is he all right? What just happened?"

"He's actually asleep," Mathers reported after a few minutes. "And with any luck, for good this time."

Mathers nodded to himself, evidently somewhat pleased by his findings when he turned back to Lou. "The bullet wound is certainly not life threatening, but I need to get in there and get it cleaned and dressed. And as for his behavior ... the collapse? Not all the tests are back yet, but from his symptoms my initial diagnosis is that Detective Williams is suffering from dehydration and very likely exhaustion," he explained.

"He's been combative and confused; unable to concentrate. His vitals are inconsistent _but_... if he'd cooperate long enough for a round or two of fluids and stop trying to leave against medical advice, I'd say he could probably go home for a proper sleep in about an hour or two, or maybe three. It's all up to him."

"That's good ... what a relief ... we thought the worst," Lou muttered under his breath as he gently pulled the light blanket up higher over Danny's chest. He paused, and then gently patted Danny's good arm before dragging in a deep breath of air though his mouth, completely relieved. But he suddenly chuffed an amused sound, his eyebrows raised quizzically as he addressed Mathers.

"So? He wanted to leave? And that's why he wanted to arrest you?"

"In short, yes," Doctor Mathers grinned back, free now to busy himself with getting ready to clean Danny's arm. He pulled a stool over to the side of the gurney, quietly gauging Danny's responses to his ministrations. From what Lou could see though, Danny was indeed out for the count and completely inured to even the doctor's presence.

Lou chuckled softly and then shrugged helplessly. "Sorry about that ..."

"Don't be. We've had worse in here. Much worse. But can you tell me, I'm not sure about the bruising he's sustained over his face?" Mathers pointed to the marks across Danny's chin and cheekbone. "These aren't from today ... and yet?"

"Honestly?" Lou grinned wryly at Mathers who was all ears. "His partner hit him ... once or twice."

"His partner?" The doctor repeated in disbelief. "What ... like his partner, _partner_? He _hit_ him?"

"Yeah, like his _partner_ , partner ... hit him ...,." Lou said with a sneer he barely even tried to hide. "Danny put that problem to bed though. Damned McNamara ... but it's over."

Lou's facial expression was so different when he said these words, Mathers frowned in confusion. Lou didn't offer him a further explanation though. Arms wrapped across his chest, he stood over Danny, his expression severe, posture tall and almost protective. "It's why Danny ran himself ragged and I should've stepped in sooner ... but these two? They have their own little dance."

"Dance? I'm not sure I follow," Mathers admitted as he went back to caring for Danny's wound. "But ... do we need to call his partner and get him here?"

"McGarrett? No," Lou chuckled softly, his demeanor changing back again on the fly. "No, no you don't want to do that Doc. I'll run interference, it's better for everyone that way. Besides, the other one's up on the third floor since yesterday afternoon; Doc Montgomery is _trying_ to make that one behave - a real problem once we got the call that Danny, here, had collapsed on scene."

Lou unwrapped his arms to gently tuck the blanket higher when Danny muttered restlessly in his sleep, ignoring the way Mathers gaped up at him in surprise. Lou's grin deepened fondly and his voice dropped even lower. "Just so you know ... these two are peas from the same pod," he mused, purposefully leaving the young doctor on the left side of confused. He smiled as he reached out to pat Danny's arm again.

"You've both got your work cut out for you. Sometimes we all do."

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	10. Chapter 10

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Eyes closed, Steve tried to rest as Charlie sat cross-legged at the foot of the hospital bed watching television. The small bowl of food - a mix of brown rice and a blander shrimp dish - which Kamekona had prepared for him, remained untouched. While he'd made a show of things for Charlie, Steve wasn't hungry for a number of reasons. Watching the clock, worried about Danny, Steve was willing himself to relax for Charlie's sake and maybe even for his own because he'd had to ask the nurse for his pain meds.

"Uncle Steve? Why hasn't Danno called?" Charlie suddenly asked and Steve peeled his eyes back open, squinting against the brightness in the room. Charlie was still at the foot of the bed, but whatever was on TV had been forgotten. Looking just as worried as Steve felt inside Charlie was now staring at him.

"He _promised_."

Steve stared back for barely the length of a heart-beat, fighting the urges to look at Kamkeona who'd muttered something under his breath or glance towards the door where the little sliver of hallway could be seen. Or even towards his cell phone which lay face up on his lap. Lou had been gone for a good twenty or thirty minutes and Steve was beginning to wonder just how bad the verdict might be in the emergency room. But then he had to remind himself of a few things: it really wasn't all that long in hospital time. Danny might not have even arrived yet or maybe he'd just been arriving when Lou'd gotten that initial phone call. There'd be a continued triage and Lou would have to wait to see Danny and then find his doctor; he'd wait to get all details. Lou would only text, call or come back up to the hospital room when he had as much information as humanly possible.

Rubbing at the dull ache between his eyes, Steve smiled warmly at Danny's son. "If Danno promised, Charlie, then he'll call," Steve answered truthfully and then said a little wish inside his mind's worrisome litany about what he said next. "He's probably just busy. It can take a long time sometimes to put the bad guys in jail."

"Those brothers are bad, Uncle Steve," Charlie said as he turned back to pick at his own bowl of food; rice fell from his fingers onto the napkin Kame had put on his lap. "Danno said they were _really_ bad boys ... he said that he'd get them and make sure they couldn't hurt you again."

"W-what?" Steve stammered, his eyes wide.

"Those bad boys who hurt your head, Uncle Steve. The C'mille brothers," Charlie repeated far too calmly for Steve's aching and bewildered brain to keep up. There was something in Charlie's tone that made his hair stand up on end and Steve suddenly felt as if the rug had been pulled right out from under his feet. "Danno promised nothing bad would happen ... he _promised_."

"The Camille brothers? H'how .. how do you know about them? Charlie?" Steve asked, feeling stupid when Charlie looked at him as if it were the most normal thing in the world for him to know. Steve did look at Kamekona then, realizing for the first time, that Charlie might know so much more than he'd originally thought. Maybe it was a point he'd forgotten - perhaps he'd had one of those episodes and he just didn't know? Or, was it that he just hadn't connected all the dots? No matter the reason, Kamekona merely shrugged when their eyes met.

"Keiki heard us talking," Kamekona briefly explained. "Me and Danno ..." He shook his head almost sadly, his explanation good enough to share its import with Steve.

Of course, Charlie knew exactly what his father was doing and why. That was terrifying enough. But he also knew the names of the two men who'd hurt Steve, and for whatever reason, that knowledge made things so much more real. It made Danny's promise to his son carry so much more weight because Charlie was old enough to truly understand the danger that Danno could be in and now he was asking about it. And while that was probably something his partner was painfully aware of, the visual was mind-boggling for Steve.

"Charlie ...," Steve's opened his mouth, fumbling for what to say. The little boy wasn't looking at him now, but he was picking at his food. Hunched over, he suddenly looked as if he might cry.

"Daddy promised ...," Charlie stubbornly repeated as he looked at Steve through his eyelashes.

"Danno always keeps his promises," Steve found himself saying. "Besides, he's got HPD and Auntie Kono and Uncle Chin ... Danno has so much back-up ..."

The change in Charlie from sullen to that bouncing, ray of sunlight was sudden. Whatever he'd just said had flipped some kind of magical switch and Charlie's smile was beaming. It made Steve's head swim in a dizzying circle.

"Danno has an army of good guys, right Uncle Steve?" Charlie spouted around a giggle. "Like this much good guys!" He held his arms out wide to demonstrate how many.

"Yeah ... a whole army," Steve helplessly said as the crisis was unexpectedly diverted. It was then that his cell phone vibrated in his lap, the screen lighting up and flashing as a text message came in. Then another. Steve read them quickly, cognizant that Charlie had looked up and was watching him, the vibrational hum clearly audible. The kid was going to make one helluva a detective when he grew up Steve thought with a sense of chagrin.

_'D OK.'_

_'Exhaustion. Dehydration.'_

Steve read the messages and sighed in relief, though he was still worried about what Lou was sharing about his partner. Any reasons for Danny's apparent collapse weren't to be taken lightly and Steve felt a subtle pang of guilt quickly supplanted by anger aimed solely at the Camille brothers and John McNamara.

_'Needs fluids. IV. Sleep.'_

But it was over now and they could all move on. Now? _Now_ , Steve quickly toyed with what to say and how to say it as another message chimed in.

_'Tiny boo-boo. An hour or 2; will come up.'_

Steve laughed out loud at this last message, his relief knowing no bounds. He knew what Lou meant about whatever bullet wound Danny had sustained. But he'd taken the words in an entirely different direction and Danny would kill him if he were there ... he'd easily guess where Steve's brain would have gone. Steve couldn't help laughing again. Danny would certainly have a few very choice words for him. Nevertheless, Steve's honest reaction to the messages made Charlie giggle and even Kamekona visibly relaxed, his big hand placed gently on the top of Charlie's blond head in affection.

"Danno's fine, Charlie," Steve said with a big smile. He waggled his phone towards the boy who was all ears and big eyes, hanging onto his every word. "Danno is really, really okay ... he'll be here in an hour or two after he finishes up a few things to make sure the Camille brothers are kept behind bars where they belong. I know that sounds like a long time ... but he's okay, buddy. He really is."

Though he was still a little uncertain, Charlie grinned lop-sidedly, weighing and judging Steve's expression more so than Steve still expected. With a start, Steve realized that there was a gaff in the exchange because why hadn't Danno called to speak to Charlie? The boy was smart - astute really - and Steve tried to find something to say first. Something Charlie would accept without him needing to tell even a small lie. Again though, it was Charlie, himself, who reasoned out an explanation that was just enough for him. Something which made both Steve and Kamekona burst into laughter when Charlie waved his hand demonstrably though the air.

"Bad ... _bad_ boys ... gonna get _sitted_ on!"

_**~ to be continued. ~** _


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: well now look what happened! Chapter 3 was the last chapter, did you all know that? But Chapter 10? Yeah that was definitely gonna be "it"; if not 10, then 11. This is chapter 11, right? So this is the last chapter ... right?
> 
> Nope. And how in heck did it get to be 5,000 words long? Welcome to the story that refuses to end. Thanks again SO MUCH Phoebe!

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Charlie had proven to be a wonderful distraction but as time lagged on and things wound down, all they had was each other and the clock on the wall. It then wasn't only Charlie who became fidgety; more stressed the longer Danno didn't appear. With only time on his hands, Steve began to feel trapped again. Trapped and useless as even Lou's updates dwindled away. After all, what else could the man share about Steve's partner needing to be off his feet while an IV of fluids did the rest? There was nothing for anyone to do but wait. Even less to talk about and Steve's woes began to make themselves known one by one. First his vision became a bit shimmery and the his stomach a bit queasy. A headache crept in through the back door to take a stronger foothold and his nausea increased. Unable to quash the feelings, Steve practically begged Kame to get rid of the bags of take-out food, the odor had become so noxious to him.

But when Steve couldn't shake the headache after a round of fairly strong medication, his doctor scheduled a scan. He should have known that would happen. Frightening occurrences just like this were precisely why he was back in the hospital. Nauseous and unable to concentrate, with a sickly wave of bright lights in the peripheral vision of just his left eye alone were major causes for concern.

"Kamekona, I think you should take Charlie home now," Steve whispered. "Danny'll go there ... he'll go home soon." He wasn't even trying to hide his discomfort. He was miserable and even Charlie was aware of just how sickly he was feeling. Steve sensed that Charlie was watching his every move and even the boy's uncertainty which had returned to some extent. Nevertheless, Charlie still wanted to stay with him and wait for his father.

"I don't want to go _home_ ," Charlie immediately replied. "Daddy's going to come here first. I know it." More of a whine than a request, Steve could just sense that the boy's mood could escalate entirely in the wrong direction and he simply wasn't up to the task. The thought of a louder noise of any kind made him cringe inside. "I want to stay here with you until Danno comes."

"Charlie," Steve whispered, wincing in discomfort from the light in the room as he squinted through his fingers. Besides its blurry shimmer, the boy's face looked too pale and bright and Steve closed his eyes again. "Okay. Never mind."

He'd just been transferred from his bed, to a wheel chair and was already nearly crippled by the thudding migraine which had flared without warning. Steve was practically heartbroken at needing to leave the little boy who was now standing solemnly in the middle of the hospital bed, his feet hidden in the rumpled sheets and blankets.

"I'll be right back," Steve muttered in defeat, unable to hide how badly the words were slurred. "Why don't you guys take a walk around the floor? Maybe even outside for a bit? Or, if this takes too long ... you _still_ can go home with Kamekona. That might be a good idea Charlie." Steve said a quiet prayer that Charlie would eventually agree to go home even as the boy's face became crestfallen. It would have made everything so much easier if he'd just agree to go home though and Steve knew that Danny would have whole-heartedly agreed by that point. The hospital was no place for his son and the pleasant visit had become far more stressful the longer that he and Kamekona tried to find ways to entertain the boy with Danny being down and out for a couple of hours. Time was going excruciatingly slowly. Patience was running thin for all of them. The last thing they'd all anticipated was Steve needing to have some last minute tests of his own.

"So, what do you say keiki?" Kamekona gently prodded. Steve didn't doubt that the big man was anxious to get back to his business, too. While they all joked about it, Kamekona did indeed take his business enterprise very, very seriously. He'd never admit to wanting to tend to his food truck over Charlie, and yet Steve knew that he did have employees and clientele weighing heavily on his mind after nearly a full day - if not more - out of pocket.

"No, I want to stay." The objection was nothing if not consistent and Steve sighed in helpless resignation as the orderly began to back them out of the room.

"You take your time," Kamekona said as if Steve had a choice in the matter. "I've got things handled with this little one. Right, keiki?" Steve glanced up towards Kamekona who had already swung Charlie off the bed and onto the floor. "We'll go and take a little walk ... clear our heads outside in the sunshine ... grab a shave ice and meet you back here later."

 

**H5O* H5O**

After being wheeled down one flight by the orderly and waiting in queue for the two people who were scheduled before him, Steve dozed on and off through his brain scan. It was quiet in Radiology, the conversation kept to a bare minimum, and the hallways more dim. Perhaps even the medication he'd been given had decided to kick in more. Whatever the reason, Steve was calmer and far less stressed as he waited his turn. Half-asleep and half-aware, he vaguely dwelled on what Charlie might be doing and if Danny had finally gotten well enough to be released. While he would have like to see him one last time that day - if nothing more than to make sure his partner was all right - Steve fully expected that if Danny were sprung from the ER, he'd rightly have taken Charlie home. As he was helped back to his wheelchair, Steve was more content in thinking that very thing had already happened. He closed his eyes feeling better than he had in a long time as they started to leave the radiology department, relaxed enough now to allow himself to be carted along back to his room. But a certain sense of humming activity pierced his more somnolent state and Steve was soon squinting his eyes back open and paying full attention to those around him. They were in the hallway now, nearest the elevators. Most of the nurses were on edge. Some were hurrying patients towards rear and side exits. The elevator was full to capacity and Steve caught the glimpse of strained expressions as the doors slid closed.

"What's wrong?" Stave asked the orderly who was suddenly guiding his chair towards another bank of elevators where a security guard was handling an organized swarm of patients and hospital staff as best as possible.

"We're on lockdown," the man replied. "HPD and security want this section evacuated stat ..."

"Wait! Stop!" Steve demanded on instinct as he all but stomped his feet to the floor. Slippered or not, the move was good enough to bring the wheelchair to a juddering halt.

"Sir, I know you're with 5-0, but I really need to get you out of here," the orderly said as he tried and then failed to prevent Steve from vacating the chair entirely. "Hey, hey! Sit back down ... we need ... _Sir_!"

"No. Maybe you do ... but not me. Why is the hospital being evacuated?" Steve demanded as he faced the orderly. He blinked through a sickly blackish sparkle of light as a surge of adrenalin sent his blood pressure rocketing upwards. Getting excited certainly wasn't on his short list of approved activities. "What happened ... and _where_? Why are there no audible alarms?"

"You really shouldn't ..." Steve's expression silenced him instantly and the orderly tossed his hands up in the air. Unhappy, but knowing he'd not get anywhere forcing Steve to get back into the chair, the orderly shook his head as he answered. "Down in the ER. Reports are that some guy who as brought in earlier decided to take a chance while being released back into HPD's hands; he got a gun ... maybe two."

Steve stared at him for barely a millisecond as he digested what the orderly had just said. Danny was in the ER; _Danny. Lou._ The peace he'd found inside Radiology dissolved and Steve shook his head, willing the headache to stay the dull roar it had become. He took a deep breath, letting it out with a loud rush through his mouth. _Calm_. He needed to _calm_ the hell down and think. It could be nothing or it could be something; neither he nor the orderly had enough intel. Evacuation was a standard protocol. Danny could have left long ago. HPD could very easily have the situation well in hand already, too.

_But if they didn't? If they didn't and ... if Danny and Lou had been compromised?_

"Where ... which way do I go?" Steve asked wanting the quickest way. "How close is it?"

"Close." The orderly pointed towards the near, far corner of where they were presently standing and towards a stairwell. "There, down one flight. The ambulance bay faces west; so we're right above the center of the emergency room. I really don't have a lot to go on ... "

"Yeah, I know. Give me your jacket," Steve demanded before glancing to the man's feet. The bright orange crocs were ugly but would do just fine. Following his gaze, the orderly's mouth gaped wide.

"Seriously?" He blurted, but he was already toeing the orange slingback's off.

"Seriously," Steve repeated as he shrugged the white jacket on and pushed his feet into the shoes. Everything was just a bit too big, but it would do well enough in the pinch. He opened the stairwell cautiously, hearing nothing at all from the section below. Above him though, a steady thud of feet could be detected; likely a continued evacuation well in progress. Not his concern as long as things proceeded like clockwork. His issue was below on the first floor.

Steve edged down the flight, freezing when the lower door opened and two figures rushed in. With nowhere really to go, he stood his ground and readied himself for a fight but was surprised to find himself face to face with Doctor Montgomery who was carrying a little girl, with an HPD officer bringing up the rear.

"Commander?" Montgomery stammered in shock. He blinked in surprise as he looked at Steve from head to foot, his gaze lingering on the odd footwear. "Why are you wearing that? What ... _what_ the hell are you doing down here? You need to go back up ... now."

"Talk to me," Steve interrupted with an impatient wave of his hand. "What's going on ... what do we have? Is my partner still down here?" He glanced worriedly towards the girl. She seemed far too ill to care about their conversation and it was obvious that Montgomery was rushing her somewhere safe. She was sickly, tired and looked feverish even to Steve, as she tucked her head into the doctor's shoulder, her eyes closed.

"Camille ... he's stupid, but he's so _stupid_ , he got lucky. He's let some patients and staff go, so we got out who we could, but it's a damned busy day ... and the ER is full-up," the HPD officer quickly explained. "There are five critical patients who can't be moved and three staff refusing to leave them alone. And as for Detective Williams? Yeah, he's in there, too ... Camille zero'd right in on him. He's the reason Camille was so damned _generous_ in allowing people to leave. Like I said, stupid ... but stupid-smart."

"Shit," Steve muttered. Danny was still down there and the orderly had mentioned a guy brought in earlier with police escort. _Of course_ the Camille brothers would be part and parcel of the current situation and Danny would be an immediate target.

"Both brothers or just the one?"

"Just one ...Joseph Camille," the officer said. "Henry's already locked up. Safe and sound. But we had to bring Joseph in to get checked out; he got a little roughed up in the takedown. Your partner actually; so when I say that this situation is on the verge of being an epic fail - that would be understatement. It's going to go south quick and Camille is not interested in negotiating right now; he wants a car and out of Dodge with a free airline ticket to just about anywhere ... he's not even asking about his brother."

"Your weapon?" Steve asked. They didn't have time for a long discussion and Camille was imploding slowly but surely. "What can you give me ... anything?"

"No gun, he took it," the officer explained as he fished through this pockets evidently looking for something. "He actually has two weapons. Mine and another backup in the rear of his pants; it's a damned miracle he let the first hostages go and then, the three of us. He doesn't need a lot though. It's pretty obvious to be me that Detective Williams is his ace in the hole and he intends to take him along to the airport as collateral."

The officer paused after finding what he'd been searching for. "No gun. But ... I do have a knife. "

"That'll do just fine," Steve said as he took the man's utility knife and then nodded in askance towards the little girl who Montgomery was still holding. There was no way he was going to allow Joseph Camille to leave the grounds, especially with his partner. That would only result in Danny's death sentence at Camille's earliest convenience.

"Is she all right enough for him to take upstairs?" Steve asked the doctor as a fast plan of action came to mind. "I need you with me, Doc." One that Danny would hate, but it was all that Steve could think to do with what he knew and then with _who_ he had at his disposal.

"Well, yeah, sure," Montgomery said, confused. "But .. why me ... I don't understand?"

"I need back in there and I need _you_ to cover for me," Steve said. "You know what to say." He gestured down to his clothes and the fact he had a hospital ID bracelet on "Why am I here, Doc?" Steve's eyes were dangerous despite the lingering thud in his head. "You know all the right words." He took a perverse pleasure in watching Montgomery's mouth gape wide in surprise. The man was quick, Steve was pleased to see that.

"You're crazy," Montgomery said, though he was thinking just as fast as Steve was now. "But it could work. You're going to try and take him down alone? Are you up for that, Commander?"

Steve shrugged noncommittally. He didn't think he had a choice one way or another and he rubbed idly at the space between his eyes. He'd learned that his migraines could be treacherous, sneaky things. With the dull roar between his ears at a manageable level, he was as good as he was ever going to be and that would just have to be good enough.

"Camille's got to know that their attack on me left a bit ... messed up. So I play it up, right? And I can't go in with another cop ... neither one of us will get two steps through the door. But, I have a chance with _you_. If I can get close enough, then yeah, I take him down," Steve explained.

"Okay. Maybe. It's a crazy idea ... but yes, it could work," The doctor said thoughtfully as he gently placed the little girl in the officer's arms. "It puts you right in harms way ...you do realize that?"

"We need to do this now, right now," Steve said in response as he flipped the HPD officer's small pocketknife open. "If we wait longer, Camille will know we hatched a plan and I lose any credibility I might have. If I rush you out of the stairwell now though, back into the ER, it will seem as if I took you by surprise ... and then ... just play along, Doc. Follow my lead, all right?"

"Sure," Montgomery said as Steve grabbed his arm and positioned him in front of him like a shield. "I ... I guess so ... he might be right in front of us when we open the door. Just so you know ..." Steve grunted his approval at the added intel. Under his hand, the doctor was taut, seemingly ready for just about anything. A moment later the blade to knife was tracing an interesting arc near the doctor's jugular and Steve was addressing the officer.

"Take her upstairs and find someone to help you," he said. "Tell whomever's running the negotiation with Camille that I'm going in; we'll see if we can shut this down from both inside and out."

"You got it," the officer said as he quickly began ascending the flight away from them with the quiet little girl tucked safely to his chest.

"Ready, Doc?" Steve asked at the same time he pushed the doctor through the door, directly into the emergency room, winding up virtually face to face with the frazzled Joseph Camille. Steve grunted again, allowing his surprise to show because Montgomery had been deadly accurate.

"What the hell?!" Camille shouted as he swung to face Montgomery and Steve, his gun aimed directly at the doctor's chest. Beneath his hand, Steve felt the doctor stiffen in fear and he could hardly blame the man as Camille focused on him first.

"Why are you ... back?" Camille yelled into Montgomery's face. "I give you a chance then, what? You come back ... I'm not giving you anyone else."

"I - I didn't quite have a choice," Doctor Montgomery stated quietly. He shifted slightly, just enough for Camille to see the knife being held to his neck. It was then that Camille's noticed Steve and his eyes widened.

"Well, holy shit! _McGarrett?"_

"Who the hell are you?" Steve growled out menacingly as he shoved Montgomery forward by the scruff of the neck. He positioned the good doctor just slightly off to the side; just enough out of the way of a direct shot.

"W-who am I?" Camille bleated in disbelief. "Are you kidding me right now?"

"Who the hell are you?" Steve repeated angrily. "I don't plan on asking again. I'm supposed to be able to get out this way." He scowled at Montgomery as if it were the man's fault.

"I-I told you this was not a good exit," Montgomery feebly tried to explain to Steve. He held his hands up high between the two men, plaintively. "I told you there was a problem ... "

"A test," Camille said with a nasty grin aimed at the doctor before focusing on Steve and crooking a finger his way. It had taken him mere seconds to fall for the bait. "A test. Want to see something?"

"No," Steve stated bluntly. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously and then carefully prodded Montgomery forward when Camille seemed to insist. Always at the ready, Steve catalogued where everyone was in the ER, counting the five patients and acknowledging the three hospital staff. One doctor and two nurses. Eight plus the three of them and then Danny ... unable to ask about his partner, Steve kept his eyes open. But he hardly needed to as they stopped in front of a small room where Camille motioned with his gun for Steve to open the door.

Instead, Steve shook his head angrily. "What the hell are you playing at? I don't want any part of you or your own damned mess ..."

"No, no this is good!" Camille said with a laugh. "You'll like this ... just wait and _look_... just humor me. Please." He motioned with the gun again for Steve to open the door.

"Open it up, Doc," Steve growled out, on edge and knowing deep down _who_ would be on the other side as part of this little experiment. His eyes never left Joseph Camille's face though until Montgomery slowly opened the door and Steve dared to peek inside. It was hard then for him to appear uncaring and aloof. The unisex bathroom was small, meant for common use in the emergency room. Sitting up against the far wall, his wrists cuffed tightly together, sat Danny.

"Thank God," Danny said as soon as he recognized Montgomery and then saw Steve. A look of surprise crossed his face, quickly replaced by a relieved smile. "Steve! I don't know if I should yell at you or thank you ... you know what? _Thank you_ ... I'm glad you're here but we're going to talk about that little fact once you cut me loose."

Steve schooled his features, his expression hard and cold as he stared back into Danny's face. His heart sank as Danny's voice petered away, along with the smile, when he toed the door fully open to reveal Joseph Camille who was chuckling.

"Steve?" Danny now asked more cautiously. He paled, his smile disappearing completely as he glanced to each one of them. "Doc? What's going on?"

"So?" Steve asked. "What's your point?" He shrugged, turning to face Camille whose smile only had grown wider. "Am I supposed to know him?"

"No kidding. I love this," Camille laughed rudely. "You don't know him? You actually don't _know_ him at all?"

"Should I?" Steve answered calmly much to Camille's ongoing delight. Struggling to keep his tone neutral, but knowing that this ruse was the only way to get everyone out safely, Steve ignored Camille. Including his partner. He made show of being distracted, dismissive even, by looking impatiently around the emergency room. Mentally though, Steve was gauging his distance from Camille and his timing. He just needed a few more seconds to get the man a bit further away from any potential victims.

"What the hell's going on?" Danny whispered behind him. "Steve? I - I don't understand."

"I don't have time for these games," Steve growled at Camille as he leaned against the wall more heavily than warranted, glaring at Joseph Camille through his his lashes and hoping he looked every bit as deranged as he felt sick. His worry for Danny was thinly veiled but at least he was fairly confident that Charlie wasn't even in the building. Kamekona had mentioned going for a walk and he as sure that wherever they were now, Charlie was safe. With the ER and the surrounding rooms now emptied except for a handful of people, it was time for Charlie's _father_. Like Steve though - of course - Danny had felt obligated to deal with the threat. He'd taken Camille on and become a target; Steve aimed to divide up the felon's attentions now. However, Danny was practically in the same condition as himself and for Steve to tip things in his direction, he would need to rely more on Doctor Montgomery than he'd originally planned.

"Doc...," Danny hissed when he was all but ignored by all of them. There was a sound and Steve sensed that Danny was getting to his feet. On the heels of that, someone's cell phone rang loudly; an off-kilter annoyingly shrill sound that made them all jump and Steve silently cursed as Camille reacted in a fury. Doubt suddenly covered the man's face and Steve sensed that his sham was slowly unraveling bit by bit; he had little time left to make this happen.

"Shut up and sit the hell down!" Joseph Camille shouted unexpectedly. He whirled around, his gun quickly trained most unerringly at Danny's exposed chest. His eyes were wild and his emotions all over the map as he thumbed a bullet into the weapon's main chamber. "I don't believe either one of you. How did you set this up, Williams? _How_?!"

"I didn't set anything up!" Danny yelled back, his voice echoing loudly in the small, tiled room. He waved his cuffed hands through the air in Steve's direction. "He _'_ s supposed to be upstairs, in bed! I have no idea why he's here!"

"Gentlemen, if I may," Montgomery said over their voices. Steve wanted to kiss the doctor for the timely interruption as he held his hands high, as if placating all of them at once.

"It happened in Radiology, Detective," Montgomery said first to Danny. "He hasn't been feeling well; complained of a migraine and lost consciousness. I called for scan and ... well, I haven't opportunity to view the results. But based on what's happening now ... I can assume that the bleed must be worse ... it must be so much more significant and affecting his memory and ability to reason. The Commander isn't quite himself ... he's not sure of me or you. He's not quite able to process between right and wrong. And, right now? I'm the one with the knife being held to his throat ... so if you all don't mind?"

"Right and wrong?" Steve raised an eyebrow at Montgomery's interesting choice of words. "What the hell do you know ... and what does it matter?" The good doctor suddenly seemed to be enjoying himself as Steve saw the faint glimmer of a smile. It was a shame though that Danny didn't still understand their half-baked plan though because Danny literally crumpled at the words.

" _Nononono ._..," Danny whispered as he briefly squeezed his eyes closed and he sagged against the rear wall. "He doesn't _know_? The bleed ... it's worse? Doc, really?"

"I believe it must be, Detective," Montgomery whispered regretfully. "This is a significant episode."

"So you really don't know him?" Camille repeated with glee, his eyes focused on Steve once more. "Perhaps we can strike a deal? Get out of here together ... I could use a man of your talents. So, what do you say, McGarrett?"

"Maybe ...," Steve muttered dismissively. "I'm not so sure I need you though." Astutely gauging Camille's physical proximity and his annoyed reaction to the slight he'd just stated so very blandly, Steve swallowed hard, needing to blank out his partner's reaction. He couldn't think about what Danny was going through just yet. He'd apologize later, because this? Danny's inadvertent words and natural reactions? They were all hitting home with Camille as the felon hung on every single thing he saw and heard within those crucial moments. Covertly, Steve released Montgomery to edge forward and the doctor wisely moved to the side. He was almost close enough and Camille was finally distracted just enough for Steve to attack.

"Detective ...," Montgomery began to speak and then stammered badly, all a ploy to showcase nervousness. "The bleed ... he's confused ...he remembers nothing ..." He looked at Steve as if asking for permission to continue on, but it was Danny who kept on talking.

"Dammit Steven ... you can't do this ...," Danny choked out. He jutted his chin towards the smiling Camille as he drew in a deep breath. His voice was soft, pleading. Steve had to fight his instinct to look his partner's way. "He's the one who _hurt_ you ... it matters. You can't leave. It's dangerous ... you need to listen to me."

"You? I don't even know who the hell you are." Steve smirked, finally allowing himself to look at Danny then, his red-rimmed eyes all that Steve seemed able to focus on. He was close to Camille though. The subtle move had taken him another full foot closer to the felon so that they were nearly touching, shoulder to shoulder. He could feel the heat coming off the man and Steve's fingers clenched in response.

"Yeah, you do," Danny murmured as their eyes briefly held. "You _do_."

With just those few words, a ripple of emotion went through Steve and he took a moment to wonder just how badly his real episodes had affected his friend. Danny's complexion lacked color and his eyes were nearly gray from fatigue. Inwardly, Steve cringed again, once more chastising himself for the bruises on his partner's chin, cheek and for the roundish mark on this temple sustained when Danny had crashed to the floor in his own bedroom. If Steve didn't know better, too, Danny might even have just woken up for his general disheveled state. Shirtless, dried specks of blood were smeared across one shoulder. On his bicep, the white bandage was expertly done but slightly spotted with blood as well. A new rivulet of blood traced towards his wrist and finger tips though from where he'd evidently torn his IV. He was blinking almost owlishly at Steve, his expression a mixture of anger, worry and frustration ... laced with a heavy dose of fear.

"Heartbreaking ... you two should have your own Hallmark special. But all this talking? Talk - talk - talk," Camille whined dramatically as he sniffed back tears of mocking laughter and Steve nodded because in this one particular thing, he agreed.

"Enough _talking_ ... " Camille complained as he swiped at the tears in his eyes with the back of his hand. "I'm gonna have a car ... one plane ticket can become _two_ ... I don't _need_ Williams if you come with me ... I can help you... so what d'ya say, _huh_? Enough _talking_ ..."

"Yeah, you're right," Steve stated quietly. "Let's do this." He straightened to his full height, seemingly to agree with Camille, his face stone-cold, hard. Unfortunately for Danny, Steve's acting ability was spot on as his partner's complexion paled even more. He knew that he would be owing Danny for the foreseeable future. In fact, with what he was about to do, he'd be apologizing to his partner for a lifetime. Because " _if_ " getting his partner to safety wasn't even a word on his radar right then.

"Steve, _please_ ...," Danny whispered. "Don't do this ..." His tone was wracked with desperation and Steve briefly closed his eyes against his friend's pleas. He'd ask Danny's forgiveness, later. But Steve intended to end it all ... _now._ He partly turned before Danny's last word left his lips, judging distance, and churning through options. He glanced once into Camille's grinning face and nodded. His easy agreement making the man smile even wider. Feeling a surge of hatred, Steve sneered back, adrenalin pulsing through his veins, his muscles tight.

 _He didn't need the knife._ Not at all.

"You're right," he repeated. "Enough _talking._ " With all the force he could muster, Steve lashed out, the heel of his hand flat. He drilled hard and with ruthless purpose directly into Joseph Camille's nose.

_**~ to be continued. ~** _


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: It's not the last chapter and I'm seriously just going to cry. Bless Phoebe for being so darn patient and supportive as the "bunny" truly runs so badly amok!

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

The satisfying crackle of badly damaged cartilage barely preceded the discharge of Camille's weapon. As he fell, Camille's trigger finger tightened just enough but Steve never reacted to the sharp report as he watched the felon crumple to the floor. The dull throb in his head flared into a pounding in his ears and Steve nearly went down with Camille. It took him a moment to regain his equilibrium and he needed to brace himself against the wall to do it, but then he was purposefully letting himself go to slide down to one knee.

Camille was still Steve's priority, as were the two weapons the felon had taken from the HPD officers. Fighting through an uncomfortable surge of nausea, Steve folded the utility knife between his hand and knee and dropped into a pocket. Then he was reaching to retrieve the gun, roughly shoving the unconscious man onto his side to yank the second weapon out from the rear of his pants. Instinctively, Steve thumbed the safeties on each, utterly relieved that Joseph Camille wasn't moving and that the stand-off was over. Taking a deep breath, Steve pushed himself back up to his feet again, a weapon in each hand, but feeling more than just a bit wobbly in the knee. He took another moment to try and steady his breathing and to will the pounding in his ears to calm. The rush of blood was overwhelming and besides practically deafening him, Steve knew that the sound was mimicking the rapid rhythmic beating of his heart. It wasn't a good sign and he closed his eyes, breathing purposefully though his nose on a steady four count.

Montgomery was going to kill him. And if not him, then Danny for sure because he'd moved too quickly and he couldn't shake this frightening light-headed feeling at all. The methodical breathing wasn't helping either and Steve opened his mouth to gulp in a lungful of air, once and then twice, desperate to stop the way his head was spinning. There was no doubt about it now, Steve needed the doctor's intervention. But when Steve squinted around, ready to admit he might very well be having some serious trouble, he spied the doctor just behind him and still nearest the small lavatory. Lying flat out on his back, Montgomery's legs were splayed and one arm was flung wide. With Danny to one side, the attending emergency room doctor was already there, down on his knees and doing a hasty triage on his peer.

"Ah crap," Steve said under his breath when he saw the bright red stain leaking across the linoleum. The bullet from Camille's weapon had found a home in Montgomery's chest or shoulder and the man was clearly unconscious. He watched for a moment, stuck inside the tableau as orders were called out and Montgomery was lifted to a gurney, only to be rushed away. But then things were moving far too quickly again as sound pierced Steve's awareness and a veritable swarm of uniformed officers hurried in, weapons drawn, and with Lou Grover in the lead.

"God dammit, McGarrett!" Lou bellowed in stunned relief making Steve wince through the reverberation. If he didn't know better, Steve would have thought Lou had shouted directly into his ear. "What in _hell_ are you doing down here? I got word you were evacuated from Radiology ... and then you show up _here_?! Are you all right?"

Peppered with questions, Steve opened his mouth only to shrug helplessly as he glanced down to Camille and then to the guns he held in each hand. _No_ , he wasn't exactly all right and yet he was because the threat had been neutralized ... even if a civilian ... his own doctor ... had been injured. Things had gone better than Steve had hoped and yet, someone had still gotten hurt. And, as he rubbed his forehead with the side of his hand, he'd apparently over-reached his still very limited boundaries.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Steve eventually said, knowing that whatever Lou said next would be fairly dripping with sarcasm.

"Sure, sure. You _look_ fine, McGarret," Lou snorted as he approached and Steve briefly closed his eyes as the lambasting began. "You look like you're about one step from keeling over clean onto your face; but you're perfectly _fine_ , aren't ya? How about you just ..."

"Wait! Stop!" Danny's voice cut Lou's little tirade off completely as he practically stumbled into their midst. Steve blinked rapidly as he tried to focus on his partner's face, but he might as well have been swimming under water without a mask. "Lou ... wait. Just back off, all right. Keep everyone back." Still cuffed and looking desperate, he placed himself firmly between Steve and the rest of the ward.

"Back-off?" Lou questioned immediately. "Why ... what's going on? Danny? Are you ... are you _hit_? There's blood ... on your face. Are you both all right?"

"I'm fine," Danny muttered, his eyes practically drilling into Steve's with worry and despair. As Steve watched, Danny used his shoulder to blot what had to be Doctor Montgomery's blood from his cheek. "It's him I'm worried about, Lou ... _Steve_ ... just hold up, okay?"

"What are you talking about," Steve asked. He looked closely at Danny's face and then frowned because he truthfully couldn't tell if Danny was bleeding or if it was Montgomery's blood. For some reason, his vision still wouldn't cooperate and Danny's face blurred into a confusing mottled whirl of colors. "Are you sure you're okay? There's blood ... did you get hit? Are you hit?"

"No, no. I'm not hit," Danny assured him quietly. He raised his cuffed wrists and made a calming, downwards motion. "Steve? You wanna put those guns down? Right there ... on the floor. _Huh_ , buddy? Can you do that for me, too?"

"On the floor? What? No ...," Steve frowned more, completely baffled by his partner's odd behavior. "What the hell's wrong with you?" Steve paused then, his eyes widening in surprise. Looking from Danny to Lou and then back to Danny again, Steve burst out laughing because now he got it. How could he have not realized just how well his little plan had gone down with Montgomery's help?

"Oh for God's sake, Danny! It's not what you think ... I'm _fine_!" Steve said. "Well mostly fine," he admitted softly as an uncomfortable touch of vertigo forced him to lock his knees. His nose itched simultaneously and Steve rubbed awkwardly at it with a knuckle.

"I think I know exactly what this is and I think that you think you are all right ... and that's okay," Danny said soothingly. "Just take it easy, all right? I bet you _think_ you're perfectly okay ... but you're not, okay?"

His partner was most definitely upset and Steve sucked in another lungful of air as he raised a somewhat amused eyebrow. _What the hell had Danny just said?_ Steve shook his head in confusion because he wasn't sure if he'd kept up with Danny's inane ramble. Ten to one though, Danny was sure to be blaming Steve for something he'd done wrong. Or right ... because sometimes with Danny? Even _right_ didn't matter.

"So then, I'm not okay?" Steve repeated disbelievingly as he bit his lip to keep from laughing. Joseph Camille was still lying there at his feet, coughing gutturally and beginning to moan. Lou motioned for help and Steve itched at his nose again. How had they wound up here ... and where the heck was Montgomery now that Steve needed him? He was suddenly too tired to explain himself. The good doctor could have so easily just put this entire sham to bed with just a few simple words.

"No, and ... it's the _bleed_ ," Danny said quietly. "Montgomery said that, do you remember being in Radiology?"

" _Of course I remember_ ... but, listen to me, it's not that and it _wasn't_ ... I wasn't ...," Steve fought to find the right words as Danny raised both his hands in the air again. He lost the plot as he followed Danny's motion because the metallic glint had caught his eye and that didn't make any sense at all. He lost the plot and then grimaced in pain as the ache in his head picked up in tempo.

_But, why was Danny still cuffed?_

"Just put the guns down," Danny insisted. "And you? Steve, I need you to sit down ... we've got to get you back upstairs; how do you feel? You need to stay quiet ... no more sudden moves, all right? I know you don't trust what I'm saying ... but _please_ ... you have to listen to me."

"Oh," Lou breathed out in understanding. He'd been listening to the exchange as if watching a tennis match, his head bob dizzying to Steve in its rapidity. But now of all things, Lou was on Danny's page and Steve groaned out loud in sheer frustration as Lou echoed his partner's words.

"It happened again? Geez, man, put the guns down ... take a load off, McGarrett."

"No! Danny. Lou ... _no._ No it did _not_ happen again," Steve snapped out as both his friends carefully flanked him. "I'm fine ... we planned it out ... Montgomery and I ... we planned it out ... I was faking it."

"Faking?" Danny repeated softly. His expression said he was full of mistrust. "Faking what?"

"This ... _me_ ," Steve replied. He tapped his chest with the side of the gun and almost lost his own balance for the sickly feeling pulsing through his head. His sinuses throbbed. That damned feeling tickled his nose again and he used his knuckles to scrub the annoying itch away again. "This ... I was faking _this_."

When Danny glanced worriedly towards Lou, Steve knew that he desperately needed Doctor Montgomery to back him up. He needed both his friends to listen to reason because, based on their expressions, neither was truly hearing what he was saying.

"I'm fine," Steve insisted as Danny stared at the gun he was still holding in his right hand. "Danny, I really am fine!" But that right hand was beginning to shake; ever so slightly, a tremor was running through his fingers.

"No, you're bleeding," Danny said far too softly. "Steve, your nose ... it's bleeding." That's when Steve noticed the bright red smear of blood across the breadth of his knuckles.

 

_**~ to be continued. ~ (because the muse is now insane ...)** _


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Notes: yeah, so ... the other chapter? I'd done two POVs and couldn't decide which way to go. Miss Phoebe suggested I putter on both. Two short chapters for example. In the end, I preferred Steve's but evidently the muse preferred Danny's based on final word count alone. I'm wondering if there's a new bunny in town this close to Easter? hmmm ...

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Steve moved so fast that Danny barely registered the action. Palm to face, he registered that much, including the sickening crunch of cartilage. Danny instinctively knew that the felon's nose would be broken and he'd likely need reconstructive surgery from the blunt strike. And that would be if he were lucky. The thoughts barreled through his head even as he was automatically ducking down when Camille's weapon discharged. But as a series of wet dots splattered across one side of face, he was then bracing against Doctor Montgomery's weight as the doctor fell backwards into him. With his hands cuffed, a painful arm, and partly blinded by blood, Danny was limited in what he coud do, but he at least guided the unconscious man's body down to the floor.

"Doc?" Danny whispered hoarsely while down on one knee. A thick wedge of blood was seeping at a fast rate into the doctor's white coat, high near his shoulder. He was about to shout for help when he was pushed aside by Doctor Mathers, the very same person Danny had insisted Lou arrest for incompetence.

"I got him, Detective," Mathers said as he began an urgent triage. "I think it's over ... I think ..." Mathers shook his head, his voice fading away, clearly distracted as he leaned over his peer.

"Yeah," Danny said as he got back to his feet, practically stumbling over Montgomery's long legs because now he was laser-focused on his partner. What he saw, he didn't like.

"Steve ..." There was no answer. _Nothing_ and Danny fisted his bound hands together. Steve's back was to him as he crouched over the downed Camille and Danny couldn't see his face. As Danny watched, Steve used one hand to close the blade of a utility knife before dropping into the pocket of the white coat he was wearing. White coat? Odd, orange-colored crocs on his feet? Danny blinked in surprise when he really saw the unexpected attire. Just what the hell had his addled partner done to secure clothing like this ... and worse yet, had he hurt anyone in the doing?

Danny's mouth opened and then closed. People were starting to mill about, believing that the altercation was over. Others were helping Mathers get Montgomery properly cared for. Danny registered all of this even as he focused solely on Steve and what he was holding in his hands as his friend got shakily to his feet.

"Steve? It's okay...," Danny said cautiously, freezing where he was, just a few feet shy of his partner, now registering that one of the nurses was running for the main doors presumably to signal that the stand-off was over. That was good and yet it could also be very very bad. Steve's forehead was heavily furrowed as if in pain and his face, far too pale. Danny simply wasn't sure if all of the issues were truly already put to rest even as a swarm of uniformed officers hurried in, creating a scene of organized chaos with Lou Grover in the lead. The big man took one relieved look at Danny before his eyes widened in surprise when he spied Steve.

"God dammit, McGarrett!" Lou bellowed. "What in _hell_ are you doing down here? I got word you were evacuated from Radiology ... and then you show up _here_?!"

Danny choked back a shout of his own as his partner turned towards Lou, armed with both guns. ' _Nononono_ ,' Danny chanted to himself as he headed Lou off before he could get too close.

"Wait! Stop!" Danny's said, interrupting Lou mid-welcome. Steve was staring at him, his complexion pale and his face dotted with sweat. There was little doubt that he couldn't focus on what was happening around him and Danny was anxious as he surged forward. "Lou ... wait. Just back off, all right. Keep everyone back."

"Back-off?" Lou asked him in confusion. "Why ... what's going on? Danny? Are you ... are you _hit_? There's blood ... on your face. Are you both all right?"

"I'm fine," Danny muttered as he used his bare shoulder to wipe some of Montgomery's blood from his cheek. He studied Steve from top to bottom before settling back on Steve's eyes. His gaze was unfocused and he was constantly blinking. Danny had seen this before and he cursed softly to himself. Montgomery was right; this was a bad episode. And if the doctor was also right in his initial assessment, the bleed had worsened and Steve was going to need surgery ... and fast. By all accounts, he was already in danger based on the discomfort alone which Danny could read in the heavy lines marring Steve's face.

"It's him I'm worried about, Lou ... _Steve_ ... just hold up, okay?"

"What are you talking about," Steve asked. He was slurring his words and taking long, measured breaths. And as Danny watched him, Steve seemed to be struggling even more to clear his vision. "Are you sure you're okay? There's blood ... did you get hit? Are you hit?"

"No, no. I'm not hit," Danny insisted as he watched the guns rise and fall with Steve's hand movements. He needed to disarm him and gently. Taking a deep breath in a ridiculous attempt to settle his nerves, Danny raised his cuffed wrists and made a downwards motion. "Steve? You wanna put those guns down? Right there ... on the floor. _Huh_ , buddy? Can you do that for me, too?"

"On the floor? What? No ...," Steve frowned at him, evidently baffled by the demand. "What the hell's wrong with you?"

Danny fought to keep his features schooled and calm, even when Steve seemed to realize something. He looked from Danny to Lou and then back to Danny again before he began to chuckle.

"Oh for God's sake, Danny! It's not what you think ... I'm _fine_!" Steve said. "Well mostly fine," he added almost under his breath.

Danny lurched forward, eyeing the guns and ready to catch his friend as Steve suddenly swayed on his feet. But then Steve was regaining his balance and then, gun or not, he was rubbing at his nose, sniffling lightly. Danny screwed up his face in concern, his lips tight with stress. Five seconds ago, his partner didn't know him. And now, he did. Something was definitely wrong and they were running out of time as Lou managed the influx of well-meaning HPD and hospital staff.

"I think I know exactly what this is and I think that you think you are all right ... and that's okay," Danny said as soothingly as he could; he was nervous though and rambling. For some reason, dealing with people he didn't know was far easier for him. Handling someone he knew though? _Managing Steve?_ This was so much harder - _scarier_ \- and Danny just couldn't get the right words out without stumbling over his own tongue.

"Just take it easy, all right? I bet you _think_ you're perfectly okay ... but you're not, okay?" Danny knew he sounded ludicrous, but he couldn't stop. Proven when Steve lifted a quizzical eyebrow. Yeah, so he sounded dumb ... he simply couldn't help it though.

"So then, I'm not okay?" Steve repeated slowly and Danny grimaced for the volume of doubt he heard in his partner's tone.

Joseph Camille was still lying there at Steve's feet, moving faintly while beginning to cough up blood and phlegm. His moans were getting louder, along with a disturbing throaty gag. Almost in disgust, Lou motioned to have help standing by from both hospital staff and HPD while Steve itched at his nose again. Help that would be allowed closer once Danny and Lou had convinced Steve to cooperate. Based on his expression though, Steve was not only doubtful but growing more and more frustrated with Danny and his ongoing questioning. Worried about an escalation, Danny ducked his head down to get Steve's attention.

"No, and ... it's the _bleed_ ," Danny said quietly. "Montgomery said that, do you remember being in Radiology?"

" _Of course I remember_ ... but, listen to me, it's not that and it _wasn't_ ... I wasn't ...," Steve was definitely frustrated as he pursed his lips and Danny raised both his hands in the air again in an effort to keep things calm. But Steve suddenly seemed confused as he frowned at Danny's wrists. He _frowned_ and then his face screwed up in discomfort.

"Just put the guns down," Danny said. He was worried now as Steve's complexion seemed to pale even more. There was a concerning wobble to his knees and Danny just wanted him off his feet even if it met sitting right where he was. "And you? Steve, I need you to sit down ... we've got to get you back upstairs; how do you feel? You need to stay quiet ... no more sudden moves, all right? I know you don't trust what I'm saying ... but _please_ ... you have to listen to me."

"Oh," Lou whispered softly, the realization finally sinking into the big man's brain. He held up both his hands now, imploring Steve to do as Danny was asking before he fell flat on his face. "It happened again? Geez, man, put the guns down ... take a load off, McGarrett."

"No! Danny. Lou ... _no._ No it did _not_ happen again," Steve groaned in disgust and Danny wasn't even sure that Steve was registering the fact that he was still holding two weapons. One in each hand. "I'm fine ... we planned it out ... Montgomery and I ... we planned it out ... I was faking it."

"Faking?" Danny repeated incredulously. _Faking_? What the hell did that exactly mean? "Faking what?"

"This ... _me_ ," Steve replied. He tapped his chest with the barrel of one of the guns and nearly lost his own balance. Danny hissed softly under his breath at the unexpected lurch. "This ... I was faking _this_."

But something was now glistening dark on Steve's skin and Danny froze, riveted by the wet shine. ' _No, it couldn't be.'_ He glanced up quickly to Steve's face to be sure and then swallowed hard. Sure enough, a thin trickle of blood was just beginning to leak from the side of Steve's nostril. Danny glanced worriedly towards Lou and knew it was a mistake based on the frustration laced in Steve's tone because he hadn't noticed it yet himself.

"I'm fine," Steve insisted. "Danny, I really am fine."

"No, you're bleeding," Danny said very quietly. "Steve, your nose ... it's bleeding."

Steve glanced at the back of his own hand and then wound up staring at the bloody smears. As Danny watched him, Steve's expression changed to one of abject confusion and his whole body began to sway. "I'm bleeding?" He murmured so quietly that Danny barely heard him say anything at all. Slowly, Steve dabbed at his nose again, testing the results, the guns held sloppily in both hands and Danny's newfound fears, rising.

"Yeah, just a little," Danny said, recognizing the crash that was about to come. "Please ... _Steve_ , just sit down before you fall down."

"Danno?" Steve's eyes were glassy and he blinked just one more time before Danny caught him as his knees finally did give out. Stuck as he was in the handcuffs and hampered by the pain in his wounded bicep, Danny still planted both hands in Steve's chest, fisting the material of his clothing hard. He took Steve's weight but couldn't completely hold his partner up. With no recourse but to go down, Danny did just that until they landed on their knees with Lou going for the weapons then anxiously hovering by their side.

"Steve? Lou, get help ... get someone," Danny hissed needlessly because Lou was already shouting for help over his shoulder while simultaneously fumbling for a key to get Danny's handcuffs off. But even as Lou uncuffed him, Steve was virtually draped over his upper body now and Danny didn't dare move in either direction. Not without help.

"I don't feel so good," Steve murmured into Danny's neck. Radiating heat, Steve was literally vibrating from head to foot. "Danny?"

"I know; I know. You're going to be all right," Danny promised as Steve leaned heavily into him and he wrapped his arms around Steve's shoulders. "Everything's okay," he whispered, _terrified_ as Steve's head lolled limply on his shoulder.

 

_**~ to be continued. ~** _


	14. Chapter 14

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

"Danny?" Eyes closed, Steve was doing his very best to remain stoic. Actually, he was doing a damned good job of it as he lay on the table and both doctors and nurses puttered around him. Danny knew better though. He was conscious, but just barely. The fisted hands, the rigid set of Steve's jaw. The mere fact that he said Danny's name out loud with that subtle tinge of confusion. Danny saw, felt and then heard all of it which proved Steve was at an abysmally very low point. If he'd the energy, Danny had little doubt that the SEAL in Steve would have left long ago, refusing to put up with any of the medical chaos being inflicted upon his body. But not only did he lack the energy, he also didn't have a choice.

"I'm right here," Danny said as he half-listened to the orders being given and tried to derive their implications for his friend. "You're going to be fine." He didn't believe it though. Danny's heart was still beating somewhere beyond Mach 10. He didn't feel much better that Steve had deigned to wake up after being transferred from his arms to a gurney. Fighting his worries, Danny stood behind Steve, a hand on each of his friend's shoulders, instilling whatever calm he could despite these fears which continued to rumble and threaten inside his own head.

"What'r they doi'n?" Steve pushed out as something different was injected into the newly run IV line and a nurse cleaned up the remnants of blood drying under his nose. He continued to slur his words and Danny inwardly cringed as a sickly shudder rippled through Steve's shoulders.

"Just cleaning you up a bit," Danny re-assured him. "Trying to get your blood pressure down. What did you think you were doing, _huh_?"  

Danny sighed as he tiredly knuckled the side of his temple where the headache seemed centered. His own head was a throbbing mess of stress and tension. Steve knew him, but his slurred speech was a bad sign in a litany of worse ones. He couldn't stop dwelling on the frightening thoughts of surgery even as the nurse finished the minor cleanup to confirm that the nosebleed had already stopped. Heaving out another long, aggrieved sigh, Danny had to remind himself that it was admittedly tough to talk even normally with someone swiping what looked like a baby's wet-wipe over your face.  He squeezed Steve's shoulder again as the medical staff calmly conferred together.  He focused on the fact that there was agreement about the nosebleed being minor. Some tension seemed to lessen. Nonetheless, the fact that it had happened at all was still stuck on Danny's very short list of alarming things.

"Did-ja see'm?" Steve slurred unexpectedly. He was peeking up at Danny, squinting badly. 

"Who? Camille? Forget about him. You gotta take it easy ... let's worry about you now, okay? Relax, buddy ... take it easy," Danny murmured as he spared the ring of HPD officers a quick glance. There was a veritable wall of blue around Joseph Camille's small triage bay with Lou standing out like a sore thumb. If Steve's nosebleed had been minor, Camille's was a gusher and Danny could just hear the strained gurgle and occasional cough even as the noisy ER tried to get back to normal.  In terms of being secure, Camille was definitely well in hand and Danny now chose to ignore the felon. He went back to focusing on Steve ... and just Steve... as he eyed the heart monitor suspiciously and then studied the doctor's face, trying to read what every change in expression might indicate. 

"Not'm," Steve complained. He squinted up, trying to see Danny upside down before wincing and giving up entirely. His eyes slid closed just before a few whispered words faded away to nothing.  "You gotta take care of'm ..."

"Who? Hold on ... good news. Good news, babe," Danny soothed as he listened in relief to a confirmation that Steve's last scan before Camille tried to run was available for evaluation from Radiology. A moment later it was Doctor Mathers who was replacing the doctor who'd been caring for his partner and personally pulling up the reports on a computer. For the first time since meeting him, Danny felt another surge of relief. A familiar face was most welcome after all that had been going down and Danny smiled when their eyes met.

"Where did you come from?" He asked. "How's Montgomery?"

"Arterial bleed. I handed him off to surgery ...," Mathers reported tersely. "He should be okay."  Danny forgave the tone immediately since Mathers was already immersed in Steve's records. He forgave everything and took a moment to even feel a tinge of guilt about his own past behavior when he saw that the doctor's hands had a slight tremble as he tapped at the keyboard.  Danny knew that he could hardly blame the young man. If anything he wanted to hug the kid for charging back into the fray.  Just minutes earlier, Mathers had been tasked with managing triage on a peer, someone who was probably a friend or even a mentor, and Danny let it all slide.

"Commander, how are you feeling? I hear that you're quite the _actor_ ," Mathers said as he shoved away from the portable workstation to hover over Steve. "Montgomery woke long enough to mention your little ... ploy." 

"Actor?" Danny asked. "Ploy?"  He blinked away his surprise, feeling stupid again as Steve managed a half-grin for his benefit. Steve's expression looked funny as it was upside down to Danny, but communicating something quite clearly. The whole thing with Montgomery had really been a scam - and one of stellar proportions.

"Y-you really were _faking_?" Danny stammered inelegantly. "F-faking ... you did this on purpose? Are you _insane_?!"

"Yeah," Steve muttered, a brief flare of smugness leaking through his discomfort. "Told-ya; it was a b-beautiful t-thing, wasn't it, D'no?" He dared almost snicker and Danny glared at him, stunned. _Seriously_?

" _Son-of-a-bitch,"_ Danny whispered, eyes wide and his voice rising. "A beautiful thing? You were _kidding_?! Do you have any idea of the risks you took?!" By the continued look on his face, Steve definitely knew and apparently didn't care. _Of course, he didn't,_ Danny thought to himself as he absorbed what that truth really meant. Steve had faked everything just to gain access to the Emergency Room and with Doctor Montgomery's help ... maybe a few people's help based on the odd attire.

"He's your partner," Mathers noted wryly to Danny as he paused long enough to bark out a brief chuckle. "Now ... _now_ I get it. Captain Grover mentioned this _dancing_ of yours."  

Danny stared at the young doctor, rendered speechless. _Dancing_? No ... definitely not _dancing_ and as for Grover? Clueless about the true context of what Mathers meant, Danny shook his head slowly from side to side much to the doctor's growing amusement.

"Son-of-a-bitch," Danny helplessly repeated as things began to sink into his tired brain. He'd been scared half to death by Steve not knowing him and then by his apparent collapse. After this was all put behind them, Danny was going to have to have a very long conversation with his partner. Steve didn't know how very badly he'd taken years off Danny's own life by making believe he didn't know him again. And the collapse? _Damn_ , but that part had been real enough regardless. Inhaling deeply, Danny exhaled a loud sigh and took a minute to close his own eyes in a vain attempt to center himself. Stuck and duly rattled to his very core, he listened as Mathers resumed talking, feeling practically faint.

"Reports from Radiology look good, Commander ... nothing out of the ordinary; we're going to run a few tests to be absolutely certain, however my thoughts are that your blood pressure spiked to cause the nosebleed ... the dizziness, headache are all part and parcel of the same, along with a nice dose of adrenalin to top things off. I'll call for those tests while you rest ... then, we'll get you settled back in your room. All right?"

"Yeah," Steve murmured softly. "Sure."

In utter relief, Danny tapped his hands in an off-kilter pattern on Steve's shoulders as a smile grudgingly crept over his face. He opened his eyes to look down; Steve's eyes were closing again. "Nothing by halves with you, _huh_ , buddy?" Steve smirked and yet Danny couldn't be angry though. Not really. He could only feel relief by the confident delivery of such very good news.

"And you? How are you holding up, Detective?" Mathers asked. Suddenly Danny found himself under the young doctor's keen microscope. He was studying Danny's face far too closely and then allowing his eyes to travel up and down Danny's body.

"Me? What? I'm good ...why?" Danny said as he glanced down at himself in surprise. Steve grunted as if to disagree and Danny glared back at the half-opened hazel eyes which suddenly seemed far too alert. Danny was still shirtless though and speckles of blood - both his and likely Montgomery's dotted an arm, his shoulder and probably even the left side of his face. The spot where he'd roughly taken the IV out was raw looking, his skin streaked with partly dried blood.

"Uh, _huh_ ," Mathers said, his tone far too dry for someone so young in Danny's opinion. "You were just being released when this debacle occured if I recall correctly. Released to go home and sleep ... we'll get you cleaned up again and I plan to do another once-over on you myself. After that, I want you to do that and follow my strict orders to get off your feet, Detective. By your own words, the only time that's happened in the last forty-eight, some-odd hours was _here_ ... when we pumped some fluids into your system."

"Yeah, well," Danny sighed out softly as he tapped at Steve's shoulders again. He scowled as Steve grunted again, knowing the doctor was right. To make matters worse, his thoughts were now straying to Charlie. He needed to get home to his son. Charlie would be worried and he'd made promises that he needed to keep. He could clean up and grab a change of clothes here at the hospital ... hide the bandage on his bicep .. _reassure his son_ ...hell, reassure himself, too for that matter.

"Danno," Steve whispered. His eyes were open again. _Just_. And Danny grinned down at him. They both looked a pair, he was sure of it now. There was no point in arguing with Doctor Mathers or deny this _dance_ of theirs. He was as exhausted as his partner and evidently they both needed to keep things boringly normal for a time.

"Yeah?" Danny asked.

"Charlie ... g'hme 'n take care of'm," Steve said. He raised his hand and pointed to somewhere beyond the ER. " _E's_ here ... Kam'kona brought'm by and have y'seen them ... since what happ'nd?"

"Say what?" Danny hissed in bewilderment as he deciphered the softly voiced words. He stilled, worried. Steve wasn't kidding by the severe expression he was managing to share. He wasn't shamming or making it up. Charlie had been or even still was in the hospital.

"He's in good hands, Detective," Doctor Mathers said, gesturing down to Steve. He sensed something was happening as Danny's face furrowed in distress. "I can't have you leaving just yet. So please, please wait for me over there while I finish here with your partner. I need you to stay until I can check you out once more - change those bandages - then, you can do whatever it is you need to do. Captain Grover ... perhaps he can help?" 

Mathers pointed towards Camille's entourage where Lou was still making demands and Danny nodded in agreement. 

"Yeah, okay," Danny said as he tore himself away from Steve's side and aimed himself at Lou Grover. If anyone could help him get to the bottom of things about Charlie, it would be Lou.

 

**H5O* H5O**

From where he sat tipped forward in the chair next to Steve's bedside, Danny leaned to rest his head on his forearm and closed his eyes. His arm was the softest thing he'd laid his head on in hours. He was beyond exhausted and could barely think. The buzzing in his ears didn't help matters either. Knowing Charlie had been near what could have been a real tragedy, didn't help matters either as worrisome _'what ifs'_ toyed with his malfunctioning brain.

"Let me take you home," Lou said softly from where he stood behind Danny's chair. "Doc says he's fine and is going to sleep for the foreseeable future. Which is exactly what you need to do, too. I don't even know how you're on your feet in the first place; besides you've tried this before and the results were less than positive."

Danny hummed under his breath in agreement and yet, was still loathe to leave Steve's bedside. Or, maybe he just didn't want to admit he would fall flat on his face if he tried to get up.

"If you need a kick in the seat of your pants, Danny, think about Charlie," Lou offered next. "That little guy has taken everything in stride and he's worried enough as it is now. The longer you take, the more he'll think something's really wrong and we've all just about run out of distractions; Renee texted me and they're on their way back up. And, if reminding you about Charlie doesn't do it, I can oblige with that kick up the ass. Just say the word."

Bringing up Charlie was a low blow. Very low and Danny grunted this time as he peeled his eyes open and forced himself to stand because he didn't doubt that Lou might kick him for real. With Lou's earlier help, they'd located Kamekona and Charlie at a shave-ice stand near the hospital. The two hadn't even been aware of the recent danger and Danny could not have been more relieved. Cleaned up and checked out by Doctor Mathers, Danny had been released into Lou's care.  And Lou had continued to save the day by coming up with a fresh shirt for Danny, allowing him to appear cool and calm enough for a little boy's eyes and their reunion had been comforting.

Charlie was proud of his Danno for having _'sitted on those bad boys'._ And as for Danny? He genuinely hadn't been able to stop laughing at his son's statement.

Bleary-eyed now though, he stared down at Steve for the thousandth time. Still pale, Steve hadn't so much as twitched a muscle during the last few evaluations he'd been put through which thankfully had all proven out that he'd indeed over-exerted himself and stressed his system. Too much activity in a negligible condition and an adrenalin dump had wreaked havoc on his blood pressure to cause a simple nose bleed. The rest was pure exhaustion and Danny could certainly commiserate with that sentiment.

"Damn fool," Danny whispered. He rubbed hard at his face and did nothing more than make himself light-headed. He was next to crash and then what? Multiple hands had intervened to care for his son. Now was not the time to continually take advantage of that kindness or push his own health. Lou was right. He needed to take his son home especially since Steve was indeed going to be all right and likely to sleep for a good many hours to come. But Danny was still very much unsettled.

This _rumor_ of Steve's faking a loss of memory? If he were honest with himself, deep down, the verdict on that was still out for Danny and he wasn't sure what the hell to believe. It was going to take some time to put things behind him. Sitting there in the quiet of the hospital room, his own brain was simply too taxed to understand what to believe or find credibility in. Despite what he'd been told, doubts reigned strongly because his face still bore witness to Steve's earlier episodes. Danny had been through trial by fire and he simply wasn't one hundred percent convinced yet if Steve might sometimes be crying wolf or not. 

He was overtired. He was thinking too hard and dwelling on the negatives. Danny knew this about himself but _damn it,_ he was still _scared_.

So right then, Steve _was_ a damned fool for a good many things. For doing too much. For scaring the proverbial crap out Danny ... _for startling Charlie_ ... and this last time, even doing the same to himself. So people like Lou and even Doctors Mather and Montgomery would have to forgive him because Danny just couldn't get his head wrapped around Steve's faking the episode as being the almighty truth.

"Danny?" Lou was at his shoulder now and Danny rocked almost dangerously on his toes. "Come on, man. They'll be here any minute ... pull yourself together."

"Yeah," Danny all but exhaled the sound. He'd zoned out and hadn't even noticed. With an effort, he blinked Steve's face and the hospital room back into existence. Lou was right: he needed to go home and get off his feet. He needed to think about Charlie and get his son to a more natural environment.

"Let's go, all right? As for Renee? She's come up with a great idea," Lou said quietly. "We'll drive you home and explain things on the way. You can tell me what you think." His friend snorted comically under his breath, his next words as sarcastic as ever.

"That is, if you _can_ think at all at this point."

Danny should have argued or managed some kind of retort back. Why bother though? His brain had completely switched off and thinking was just something Danny had no ability to do. He probably couldn't even have made the simplest of decisions if he tried. So as Lou piloted him away from Steve's hospital room, Danny didn't question the way the bigger man hooked a hand under his elbow. Or, the way he was physically guided down the hallway and towards the bank of elevators. The only thing which made a dent in the fatigue was the sight of his son happily swinging hands with Lou's wife, Renee when an elevator opened wide.

"Daddy!" Blonde hair, blue eyes and a beaming smile brought Danny down to a knee.

Arms held wide as his son rocketed towards him, uncaring that Charlie's voice might be just a bit too loud inside the hospital's more quiet walls and filled with an overwhelming feeling of love for his son, Danny caught Charlie up.  He desperately needed the generous Charlie-sized hug even if it aggravated the wound in his arm and nearly throttled him right off his feet.

"Hey buddy," Danny said as he straightened back up with Lou's covert assistance, Charlie snug and safe in his arms. It was time to go home.

_**~ to be continued ~** _


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Hawaii Five-0 or any characters. No copyright infringement intended.

 

**H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O* H5O**

 

Danny woke in a lavender and white bedroom which he was positive he'd never seen before. Unmoving, his eyes roamed noncommittally around the room. At least what he could see of it without moving too much while he catalogued and tried to make sense of where he might be. It was pretty, light and airy. A light-wood dresser with a mirror was situated diagonally from where he lay on his side. Nothing much was on the dresser, except for a lamp and ...?

He stared at the thing blankly for a long moment, over the top of a white lacy duvet cover and ... directly into the face of a very large, plush purple teddy bear.

A purple teddy bear? Danny blinked because the toy actually was the one thing to make a minor dent on his fuzzy brain. Not because it made sense, but only because it was bright and colorful and far too happy for its own furry good and spurred his brain to think.

Why was it even there? And better yet, why was it staring at him?

Confused, Danny frowned at its large embroidered smile which happily confirmed the words stitched across its furry white tummy:

_I Love You._

Three little words which were under a shiny embellished rainbow. Danny blinked again after reading the words thrice over, his eyes settling firmly on the bear's black button eyes. The thing kept staring right back at him in a very disturbing kind of expectant silence and Danny grunted when his brain refused to connect any of the dots.

Not Grace's room. Certainly not Charlie's and from what he could last recall, not a room the hospital would have either. Tiredly, Danny forced his hand to move to rub idly at his face. He grimaced at what he felt there because he needed a shave and quite badly, so obviously hours and hours had gone by from when he'd last seen ... Steve.

"Oh," he mumbled to himself. _Steve. Lou. Doctor Montgomery._ Ever so slowly, certain clues began to click together even if they seemed a lifetime ago and he half-remembered some kind of prodding by Lou and Renee that Steve was fine. That everything was okay and that Danny needed to accept their offer of watching Charlie while he got some badly needed sleep. Somewhere along the line, he'd agreed. So then, he was at Lou's and evidently in the older man's guest room.

"Daddy?" The air moved near his shoulder and Danny shifted his focus from the bear to the blur of light which was closer to his nose. The blur moved again creating a subtle breeze before a messy shock of yellow-blond and blue materialized into a little boy's face.

"Danno? Are you up yet? You've been sleeping for- _ever_." The last word was drawled out long and plaintively, ending on a high note and Danny literally winced.

" _Charlie! What did I tell you about waking up your father?_ " His son's name and the reprimand were hissed out by a more soothing baritone and Danny shifted just enough again to peek out over the top of Charlie's head to see that Lou Grover was standing in the doorway.

"He's awake!" Charlie shouted a moment before Danny got a knee in the stomach and an armful of six-year old boy.

 _"Is he up?"_ Steve's voice. Louder and unexpected shattered any residual bubble Danny might have been in. _"Hey! Finally!"_

 _"Lord! The two of you! Let the man sleep!"_ Lou's voice boomed louder and Danny's eyes sprung wide open in surprise.

"M'up," he tried to say before he oomphed loudly when Charlie's elbow connected with his chin. His slow waking suddenly turned even more chaotic when another body - one much larger - joined the small squirming version of his son's and all the air was pushed out of his lungs. Charlie shrieked in his ear and Danny gasped, gurgling loudly, his eyes now larger than saucer plates as Steve tucked himself over the top of Charlie to trap Danny completely.

"You're awake!" Steve laughed out, evidently just as pleased as Charlie, inches from Danny's face.

" _An'mals_! G'off!" Danny gasped out, confusion now changing into a bubble of laughter that he could barely get out for lack of air. He couldn't move at all with his arms and legs trapped by the sheets, duvet, his giggling son and his _partner_ , who based on the laughter in his eyes, had no intention of listening to Danny at all.

 _"G'off!_ Steve! What'r you do'n here?" Danny laughed and choked as they play-grappled and Charlie dug into his body even harder, all pointy elbows and knees.

"You've been sleeping so long I got sprung," Steve offered helpfully. "Got sick of sitting around at my place ... alone ... waiting for you to come out of hibernation."

He looked down into Danny's face, eyes clear and well, completely pleased with himself for joining the sneak attach before turning on an unsuspecting Charlie to tickle the little boy clear off of his father's chest and into the center of the bed. The move earned Danny another bony knee to the stomach, but it gave him enough room to wriggle free of the tussle. However, still entangled as he was in the sheets, he wound up crashing to the floor, upside down, and with his legs still mired up on the bed, under the weight of Steve's body.

Upside down, he looked up into Lou's face and grinned. "'morning', Lou," Danny chuckled breathlessly as he failed again at kicking free, peals of high-pitched laughter filling the room from the top of the bed where a tickle-war stayed in full swing.

 _"Uncle Steve! No, no!"_ Charlie howled louder still, giggling madly when Steve pinned him under a pillow, growling like a make-believe tiger.

" _Afternoon_ , Danno," Lou drawled out, correcting Danny's perception of time. He cocked his head to the side as any original semblance of peace fled his house. "I see things are back to normal." Eyebrows raised into comical mono-brow of sorts. He calmly folded his arms across his chest as he took in the chaos and smiled, making no effort at all to rescue Danny from where he stayed tangled, half on the floor and half on the bed.

"Well. You _boys_ up for some pancakes?"

 

_**~ End. ~** _


End file.
